


Breakaway

by Angelwithwingsoffire



Series: Breakaway [1]
Category: Teen Wolf (TV)
Genre: Angst, BAMF Stiles, Broken Stiles, F/M, M/M, Magic!Stiles, Stiles is Pushed Out of the Pack, idk where this story will lead
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-03-15
Updated: 2014-07-05
Packaged: 2018-01-15 20:47:51
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 26
Words: 60,627
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1318681
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Angelwithwingsoffire/pseuds/Angelwithwingsoffire
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Stiles has had enough. He’s worked his butt off to keep the pack safe and they still call him worthless. So he’s done. He's leaving. He’s done with the pack and he’s done with its Alpha. Or is he?</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Cracking

**Author's Note:**

> So this is mostly based on real life experience with some twists thrown in as well and I took the title from Kelly Clarkson's song Breakaway. Enjoy the story and please comment because I love to read them.

When Stiles woke up in the morning, he was in a great mood. He showered and dressed quickly before running downstairs.

His dad smiled at his antics and gestured for him to sit down. “We are having bacon today and you’re not telling me otherwise.” He declared. “Special days deserve special treats.”

Stiles gave him a playful glare but it quickly faded away into a grin. “Fine but only because I’m in such a good mood.”

The Sheriff smiled. “And I’m taking full advantage of that.”

Stiles rolled his eyes but dug into the plate of food in front of him while his dad got up, vanished, and came back with two bags. He held them out with a smile.

“Happy 18th Birthday son.”

Stiles grinned and grabbed the bags. He reached into the first and laughed when he pulled out dog tags. “Dog tags Dad? Seriously?”

Sheriff smirked. “Figured they fit the circumstances.”

Stiles rolled his eyes but was grinning as he read them. There were two, one that said ‘Stiles Stilinski Lacrosse Extraordinaire’ and the other said ‘If found please return to the Sheriff’. Stiles laughed. “Really Dad? Really?”

He shrugged, smiling.

Stiles just shook his head and opened the other bag. He pulled out a small, leather bound book, and his jaw dropped when he read the cover. “This is-Oh my god.”

“I asked Deaton what you might need in your magic training and he said you’ve been looking for a copy of that. So I found one.”

Stiles couldn’t answer, he just set the book down and lunged across the table to hug his dad. “Thank you.” He whispered. “This is the best thing ever.”

He hugged his son back and then pushed him away. “Go on. You’re going to be late for school if you don’t hurry. You can have the rest of our presents tonight.”

Stiles smiled, grabbed the last of the bacon, and ran from the room. He was out the door, shouting back. “Bye Dad! Thanks for the gifts!” And then he was in his jeep and gone.

He pulled up to school, into his usual spot, and got out with a grin on his face. He looked for the pack but none of them were in sight. It was a little strange but he just ignored it and headed inside. He went to English class and was confused to see that none of the pack was there. Scott, Lydia, and Allison’s seats were all empty. Maybe there was some emergency pack meeting? He checked his phone but all that was there was a message from his dad wishing him a good day. Nothing from the pack.

By the time lunch rolled around and he still hadn’t seen a single member of the pack he was getting worried. He texted Scott and Isaac but neither of them answered. He went to his next class but couldn’t help himself from checking his phone every few minutes. By the time school was over there was still nothing on his phone and now he was really worried. He texted Derek.

_To: Sourwolf_

_Derek? Is the pack with u?_

_From: Sourwolf_

_No. Should they be?_

_To: Sourwolf_

_They weren’t at school._

_From: Sourwolf_

_They said something about a party at Lydia’s last night at the meeting._

 

They had a meeting? A pack meeting? And Stiles wasn’t told? He pushed his emotions on that aside for the moment to concentrate on his worry.

 

_To: Sourwolf_

_Thanks. I’ll try and find them._

_From: Sourwolf_

_Whatever_

 

He started the jeep and headed towards Lydia’s. A party. Maybe for him? Maybe that’s what the secretive meeting was about. Planning a surprise party for him. Wait, should he go now then or wait for one of them to call him? Would going now ruin the surprise? Oh well. They should’ve realized he’d track them down. He turned the jeep towards Lydia’s house and pulled up in front. He got out and waved at Allison, who was in the front yard.

“Hey Stiles!” She said happily. “Come help me with this banner? Lydia’s gone nuts over the welcome back party!”

Welcome back party? Stiles brain shut down but he automatically moved to help Allison.

“Who’s coming back?” He asked.

“Jackson.” Allison answered. “He flies back in tonight and Lydia’s been freaking out about this party for days now. She even made us all have a pack meeting last night to talk about the party and we all had to skip today to help set up. It’s been awful.”

Stiles wordlessly nodded, trying not to throw up. So none of this was for him. None of them even remembered his birthday. Scott didn’t even bother sending him a text. Instead they’re all throwing a party for Jackson coming back from London. He’s been gone a week. One week and that deserves a party while it’s his eighteenth birthday and that gets absolutely nothing from them.

He pretended to get a message and fake winced. “I have to go. Tell Jackson welcome back for me.”

“You’re coming to the party, right?” Allison asked.

“I don’t know. I’ll have to see. My dad might need me for something.” With that weak promise he climbed down the ladder, got back in his jeep, and drove away. He got far enough away from the house to know the pack couldn’t hear him and then he just screamed. He let all his frustrations out as he beat the steering wheel. They pack forgot his birthday. They fucking forgot. He took a deep, shaking breath and composed himself. Maybe it’s just a mistake. Maybe in the excitement of Jackson coming home they lost track of the days. Maybe it’s nothing. After all he’s done for them there’s no way they forgot. Right?


	2. Breakaway

Stiles drove home, composed himself, changed into something a little nicer, and drove back to Lydia’s house. He parked on the street and walked inside, looking for a pack member. He found Isaac and smiled at him.

“Isn’t this an awesome party?!” Isaac said happily. “Lydia’s really outdone herself this time!”

Stiles nodded stiffly. “Where’s Jackson?”

“In the living room!” He answered.

Stiles nodded and again and walked away, wanting to welcome Jackson back and get out of here.

“Oh god who invited Stilinski!” Jackson said when he spotted him. “I thought I said I only wanted cool people at my party!”

The other people around him laughed, including Scott and Lydia.

Stiles ignored the comment. He’d gotten used to Jackson saying he wasn’t pack. He knew he was.

“Why are you here Stiles?” Jackson asked. “No one wants you here!”

Stiles glanced at Scott, but his best friend didn’t say anything, just smiled and laughed with the others.

“Just wanted to say welcome back.” He said.

“Well thanks for that! I’d appreciate it more if you were actually cool! Or someone with friends! But you’re not! You’re alone!”

Stiles didn’t say anything, just bit his lip and held back the tears. He waited for a pack member to say something, but none of them did. They all just laughed. He nodded slowly. “Alright. I know how it is. I’ll see you later.” He didn’t wait for an answer and he ignored the one Jackson shouted after him as he left the house.

“Stiles?” Allison said when he bumped into her on his way out. “You’re leaving already?”

“I can tell when I’m not wanted and I’m obviously not wanted or needed here.” He answered. “Goodbye Allison.” He pulled his arm out of her grasp and ran for his truck. He could still here the pack laughing at him as Jackson insulted him. He started his jeep and drove off, not caring where he was going. He ended up at the vet clinic. He went inside and found Deaton.

“Stiles?” Deaton asked, a little shocked to see the boy. “What’s going on?”

“I need mountain ash.” He said. “A lot of it.”

“Why?”

“I need to keep the pack away from me.”

“Why do you need to do that?” He asked, staying calm while Stiles broke.

“Because it’s obvious they don’t need me and I don’t need them trying to guilt me into forgiving and forgetting. Not this time. Scott’s always been the most honest when he’s wasted.”

Deaton didn’t answer, just went into the back and came out with a sack. “Are you sure you want to do this Stiles?”

“Positive.”

“Very well.” He held out the sack to him. “Do what you must.”

Stiles nodded and took the bag. “Thank you Deaton.”

He nodded. “I just hope you know what you’re doing.”

Stiles nodded. “I do.” He turned and left the clinic, driving home. He pulled into his driveway and got out. His dad was just leaving the house to go to his shift.

“Stiles?” He asked, seeing his son’s bloodshot eyes and tear streaked face. “Are you alright?”

Stiles nodded and grabbed the sack. “Go to work dad. I’ll tell you in the morning. I don’t think I’ll be able to go to school.”

His dad just nodded. The look on his son’s face said more than enough. He got into the cruiser and drove away. Stiles watched him go and then hoisted the bag.

“Time to get to work.” He whispered to himself.

Fifteen minutes later there was a thick ring of mountain ash around the Stilinksi property and he knew it would hold against any and everything that was pack because he believed it could. Then he dropped the bag and went inside to find his dad’s liquor.

 

Across town, Isaac grabbed Scott’s arm. “Hey have you seen Stiles lately?”

“No I think he left, why?”

“Can you still feel him?”

Scott closed his eyes and felt along the pack bonds, trying to find Stiles. All he found was a pit of pain and sadness. His eyes shot open and he looked at Isaac. “He’s in pain.”

Isaac nodded. “We need to get to him.”

Together the two of them gathered the pack and everyone rushed to Stiles house. Scott was the first one out of the car so he was the first one to hit the barrier. He was knocked back on his ass with a dazed expression on his face.

“What the hell?” He said, getting up.

“Mountain ash.” Isaac said, pointing at the line.

“Why the hell is there mountain ash around his house?!” Scott exclaimed.

“Because I don’t ever want to speak with _any_ of you again!” Stiles said, coming outside. He had a half empty bottle of jack in one hand and his dad’s shotgun in the other.

“And if you humans even think about stepping over the line I will shoot one of the wolves. Won’t kill them but it will damn well hurt.” He was slurring his words slightly and swaying but his hand on the gun was steady as he raised it.

“What are you doing Stiles?” Scott asked.

“I’m done.” He said. “Completely fucking done. You people have made it perfectly clear that after everything I’ve done for you, you don’t need me. So fuck you all. I’m out.” He turned around, vanished inside for a moment, and came back out with a box instead of the jack. He carried it down the steps and threw it at Isaac, who automatically caught it. “That’s everything.” He declared. “Everything I have that belongs to any of you. Also in there’s the hard drive with everything I’ve ever translated. I’m not an awful person. I wouldn’t leave you running blind. Give it to Peter. He’ll know what to do.” With that he turned back around and went back up the walk to the door. He turned back and gave them one last look. “Don’t try and talk to me. I’m done with all of you.” He went inside and slammed the door behind him. The wolves could hear him open the bottle of jack again and go into the living room.

“What just happened?” Erica asked, her voice choked off as if in physical pain as she clutched her chest. “Why can’t I feel him anymore?”

“I think Stiles just left the pack.” Lydia said, looking at the others, tears in her eyes. “Why did he just leave the pack?”

“What did we do?” Isaac asked.

Allison stepped forward and grabbed an envelope that was on top of the box Isaac was still holding and opened it.

“Hey guys.” She read. “If you’re reading this I’m gone. I’m sick of being treated like I’m worthless. Like I’m not part of this pack. I’m used to Jackson saying it. But Scott, you’re my best friend and you didn’t even stand up for me tonight. And now that I’ve been thinking, I realize you haven’t in a long time. You did at first. You defended me and my spot in the pack. But that stopped a long time ago. I’m just realizing now how long it’s been. How long it's been since anyone has said one word of thanks to me for everything I've had to do for this pack. I tried to be the best I could be but apparently it wasn't enough. So I’m done. I loved you all and I have almost died several times trying to keep you safe. But you won’t even do me the same courtesy. So I’m done.  I was going to kill myself, just make it easier on all of you, but then I remembered my dad. I remembered that he’d be the one to find me. The one to find my body and my note. I can’t do that to him. So I’m doing the next best thing. I’m leaving. Stay the hell away from me and I won’t hurt any of you. You should know by now that there are dozens of ways I can kill each and every one of you if you come near me. So don’t come near me. Don’t try and talk to me. Leave me alone. Jackson, you’re finally getting your wish. I’m leaving the pack. Once and for all. I’m so fucking done with all of you right now. And one more thing, do you know what today’s date is Scott? Because I do. And it’s a pretty important date. One we made a promise to spend together being idiots. But you were too busy being an idiot with a pack I’m not a part of. Goodbye guys. Don’t expect to me to ever forgive you.” Allison’s voice was raw by the end of the letter and there were tears streaming down her face. She looked up at Scott. “What the hell is today’s date?!” She demanded.

Scott was frozen. “June first.” He answered, his voice empty. “It’s Stiles’s birthday. He turned eighteen today.”

Allison growled. “And you didn’t think that was important enough to share with us!”

“I forgot!” He shouted. “I just fucking forgot!”

“Well you can forget about us too then. Because I’m done with you.” She dropped the letter, spun on her heels, got back in her car, and drove away.

“I never meant to drive him away.” Jackson whispered. “I never meant any of it. I just-I just didn’t want to admit a human was so important.”

“Well he is.” Lydia snapped. “Or was. And now he’s gone. Do any of you realize what Peter’s going to do when he finds out what we did? What _Derek’s_ going to do?! They’re going to kill us!”

“They can’t know.” Isaac said. “They can’t find out that we caused this.”

“They’re going to find out.” Erica said. “They’re going to know and they’re going to hate us for it.”

“We don’t tell them.” Scott said. “We can’t. We’ll leave Stiles alone for the weekend, let him cool off. On Monday things will be better. Things can go back to normal.”

“Nothing will ever be normal again.” Erica said, her voice filled with tears. “Stiles is gone.”


	3. Author's Note

Alright. So it's been brought to my attention that this story is similar in nature to a story called Abandoned on here. And going to look I agree. But I want you all to know I did not knowingly do that. This is based off of something i've been going through for a couple of years now. I had a group of friends that I basically grew up with. They helped me through a lot of shit and I did the same for them but a while back I started to feel shut out from the group. So I left like Stiles left the pack and found other people. This story is my way of trying to figure out my emotions right now. That's why I don't know where it's going to go. All I know is I want it to have a happy ending because I want a happy ending for me. So I'm kind of stuck right now. Knowing this all, what should I do? If you guys think that I should put Abandoned as an inspiration for this story, I will. If you think it's best to take it down I will. I just need some help. I don't want to be seen as a plagiarizer but I'm not exactly all that smart with this kind of stuff. So advice would be great and I am so sorry for this. I recognize the story so I'm sure I looked at it at some point but I'm not overly fond of fem!Stiles so I probably didn't read all that far into it. The beginning parts like the getting drunk and the barrier may have stuck in my subconscious but I did not knowingly copy anything from that author. I need some help here guys.

Oh and the link to the story is here: http://archiveofourown.org/works/948473/chapters/1853316

What do I do guys? 

EDIT: I have since emailed the author of the other story and am awaiting a response.

Alright, so I've made my decision after an insane amount of comments from you guys so thank you so much for that. I've looked at the other story and I'm not going the way that story did. This story is about me getting my experience out in front of me in words so that I can figure out what I'm going to do. Apparently this is something called a 'trope' which I don't know what that is but apparently it's common and as long as I go a different direction from the other story and notify the other author, which I have, then I'm good. So I'm going to keep updating. If you don't want to read this then fine but let those who want to read it do so. I never meant to copy anything I just want to make sense of what's going on in the fucked up place I call my brain. I've already written almost fifteen chapters of this because I haven't been able to sleep all weekend and I need this to make sense. So I'm continuing both for you guys and for me. As I go I'd love to hear more of what you guys think of this story and what you're response is to chapters and if you have questions about how something in here happened to me then go right ahead and ask. But do keep in mind that I am changing it a bit to fit with these characters and how I want to go about exploring these emotions. As it is I will do my best to answer every question put forth to me in the best way I can. I hope you all continue this journey with me but if you wish to get off, now would be the time. Sorry if this sounds rude I'm just really sleep deprived and upset so I'm going to edit out the next chapter and put it up soon. Hope to talk to you later. Bye guys.


	4. Leaving

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Some of you may want to go back and read the edit on the author's note if you want an explanation for things otherwise we're just trucking along now. Enjoy the chapter guys.

Derek woke to pounding on the door of his flat. He blinked away sleep and got up, padding down stairs softly. He pulled up the door to see a ticked off Sheriff.

“Sheriff?” He said, confused. “What are you doing here?”

“What the hell did you do to my son?!” He demanded, storming inside.

“What do you mean? I didn’t do anything.”

“Then why the fuck did I come home this morning to find my son passed out drunk next to any empty bottle of whiskey mumbling about how he was kicked out of the pack?! Explain that to me Derek!”

Derek was wide awake now. “Is he alright?” He asked.

“He’s fine now! No thanks to you or your pack apparently!”

“I swear I have no idea what happened last night but I will find out and I will punish the one who was responsible for making him think he was kicked out of the pack. You know I’d never kick him out.”

The Sheriff deflated, turning into a distraught, worried dad. “I know that Derek. But I came home this morning and I was terrified that I was going to lose him.”

Derek nodded. “What was he able to tell you?”

“Just that he was so fucking done with everything, that he was sorry I had to be the one to find him, and that he was done with the pack.”

Derek nodded, his throat starting to feel a little constricted. “I’ll sort this out and then give you a call, alright?”

Sheriff nodded. “And I’ll call if he says anything else.”

“Thank you for letting me know.”

Sheriff nodded and left. Before he closed the door behind him he gave Derek one last sad look. “Fix this Derek. Please.”

Derek nodded. “I will.”

The Sheriff left and Derek pulled out his phone. He pulled up a mass text and sent it to the pack.

_‘Pack Meeting. Now.’_

 

Peter was there first. “Derek what’s going on?”

“The Sheriff came to see me this morning and said he found Stiles passed out drunk this morning muttering about being kicked out of the pack and being done with everything.” Derek said blandly, not moving from where he’d sat on the couch, staring at his hands.

Peter growled. “I was wondering why I couldn’t feel him. Is he alright? He’s not dead right?”

Derek smiled slightly. Ever since Stiles had saved Peter from a coven of witches in November he’d become almost as protective of Stiles as Derek. He was also the only one who knew about Derek’s feelings for Stiles. “According to the Sheriff he’s fine. Trust me, if he wasn’t, I’d already have killed someone. I called the pack to find out what they did to him.”

“Are you going to tell them?” Peter asked, coming to sit next to Derek.

Derek sighed. “I don’t know Uncle. I really don’t know.”

They sat in silence and waited for the rest of the pack.

They all showed up together, reeking of guilt.

“Everyone sit down.” Derek ordered.

They all found spots to sit and watched him.

He looked up and pretended to look around. “Where’s Stiles? And where’s Allison?”

They all looked at each other.

“ANSWER ME!” Derek roared, his eyes flashing red.

“Stiles left the pack.” Scott whispered. “And so did Allison.”

“Someone better start explaining or I will start tearing out throats.” Peter threatened.

“The pack has been very stupid.” Allison’s voice came from the door. She was in a pretty yellow sundress but her face had murder written all over it.

“Care to expand?” Derek asked.

“Well apparently for the past oh eight months, ever since Jackson came back after the alpha pack, he’s been telling Stiles that he’s worthless and not a member of this pack.”

Derek growled and Jackson shrunk back, trying to hide behind Lydia, who just smacked him.

“And no one seemed to think it was important enough to tell him that he is in fact a member of the pack and that we needed him.” Allison continued. “Even my, now ex, boyfriend didn’t seem to think his best friend needed to be told that.”

Scott ducked his head in shame as Derek shot him a death glare.

“So with that building in the background Lydia saw fit to call a pack meeting and not tell him about it. He was worried sick at school yesterday because none of us were there and he had no clue what was going on. He even texted Derek who didn’t tell him anything.”

“I thought Scott had told him.” Derek growled.

“You’re not at fault here Derek, they are.” Peter said.

“He’s right.” Allison said. “Now take that and add to it the fact that it was Stiles’s fucking eighteenth _birthday_ yesterday and none of us were told! Because Scott fucking _FORGOT_!”

Derek’s eyes turned red and he looked at Scott. “You forgot his birthday.” He growled.

“I didn’t think you’d want to know!” He defended.

“Of course I wanted to know!” Derek screamed. “He’s my mate!”

Everyone was still.

“Mate?” Scott squeaked.

Derek growled.

“Shit.” Allison said.

“Shit is right.” Peter said.

Derek stood up and took a step towards Scott. “You let him think he wasn’t pack. You let him think he was worthless to us. You made him like this!” He shifted and went to lunge at him but Peter grabbed him.

“Derek stop!” He shouted.

“He drove my mate away!”

“I know that! And I’m just as pissed as you! You know how much I care about him!”

Derek did know. He took a deep breath and pulled back his wolf, shifting back to human, but his eyes were still red.

“How do you know all this?” He asked, looking at Allison.

“I went to see him this morning. His dad let me in and I talked to him. He’s pissed off at the pack but he knows that I didn’t know about any of it. It never happened around me and it’s Scott’s fault I didn’t know it was his birthday. He let me back in because he needed _somebody_. We were all he had and they threw him aside. He needed someone to be with him. He’s still pissed and he’s still refusing to be part of this pack, but he’s alright. He’s alive. He’s extremely hungover, but he’s alright. Which was almost a lie. He told me he wanted to kill himself last night. Almost did. And the only reason, the _only_ reason he stopped, was because he couldn’t do that to his dad. He’s alive, but he’s broken.”

Derek took another deep breath, the red in his eyes going away. Peter finally let him go and he sat up, looking at the pack. Then he looked at Allison. “And you?”

“I told Scott last night that I’m done with him. I’m pulling out as well. I stand by Stiles.”

He nodded and looked at the pack. He could feel their guilt but it was overpowered by the absence of Allison and Stiles in his mind. He growled again and they all shrank back.

“None of you will talk to him.” He ordered. Scott opened his mouth to protest but Derek cut him off with another growl. “This is Stiles’s decision. He doesn’t want you near him, so you will not go near him. You will let him take his finals in peace and not try and make contact. Leave him the fuck alone. You’ve done enough damage already.”

“He’s my best friend!” Scott protested.

“You lost the privilege to call yourself that when you pushed him away.” Peter growled. “Now all of you can go to the old house and clear debris until one of us comes to tell you to stop.”

They all nodded and solemnly left the flat, passing the murderous Allison on the way.

“Allison?” Derek whispered.

“Yes Derek?”

“Don’t tell him.” He pleaded. “Please.”

“When were you going to tell him?”

“After I rebuilt the house for him.”

She was shocked. “You’re rebuilding the house?”

Derek nodded. “Peter and I drew up the plans last month. The permits just came through. We were planning on starting as soon as school is out.”

Allison smiled. “You’re doing it for him.”

Derek nodded. “He was always complaining about it so I wanted to do it for him. I was also waiting for him to be eighteen to tell him I chose him as my mate but apparently he already is so that’s useless now.”

“He was held back when he was younger because he couldn’t sit still enough to learn.” Alison explained.

Derek nodded. “I don’t know what to do now.” He admitted. Peter rubbed his shoulder comforting and Allison smiled sadly.

“You push on.” She said. “I’ll explain to him that you were in the same boat as me and didn’t know. Same for you Peter. I know he’ll feel better knowing you banned the pack from speaking with him.”

“Thank you.” Peter said.

She nodded. “It’s the least I can do. This is really hurting him.”

“Keep him safe?” Derek asked. “For me?”

Allison nodded. “I’m going to stop at home next and explain everything to my dad and get some stuff before going back to his house. The Sheriff doesn’t want Stiles alone right now so I’m going to be staying with him.”

“Thank you.” Derek whispered. “For doing this. All of this.”

Allison nodded again and walked across the room to hug Derek. “Anything for Stiles.”

Peter joined the hug and the three of them just sat there together, the only three people with a chance of being let back in to Stiles’s trust.

 

 

“I’m not going to school.” Stiles declared, glaring at Allison.

“I figured you wouldn’t.” She answered. “So I had my dad call in for me as well. We both seem to have come down with an awful case of the chicken pox and will be keeping each other company while we recover.”

Stiles gave her a sad smile. “You didn’t need to do that.”

“Yes I did. Besides, it’s just review week for finals next week. We’re both smart enough to pass without review classes. We can study together here and we’ll go take the finals together. I told you the pack isn’t going to bother you anymore.”

Stiles nodded. “I know. I just don’t want to see them. I’m afraid I might kill them if I do.”

Allison noticed the sparks shooting from his fingers and walked over to cover his hand.

Stiles ducked his head, blushing at his loss of control. “Sorry.” He whispered.

“It’s alright Stiles. I don’t mind.”

“What about you and Scott? Won’t you miss him?”

“Any boy who forgets his best friend’s birthday is not a boy I need in my life.”

Stiles smiled. “Thank you. For all of this.”

She nodded. “Now come on. I made breakfast and there’s TV shows calling our names. I’m determined to understand all of your stupid references by the end of this week.”

Stiles grinned. “Then we best get started.”

“Yes. We best.”

“Allons-y!” He said happily, throwing back the covers. He took in her confused face and smiled. “We’ll get there.”

 

When the Sheriff came home that night he stopped outside the door to just listen. For the first time since he came home to find his son drunk and almost suicidal he heard Stiles laughing. Maybe bringing Allison in was just what he needed. He walked in and stepped into the living room. His eyebrows raised at the sight. There was a blanket fort in the middle of the room, with no front so they could still see the TV, and he could hear Stiles and Allison giggling inside as they watched. He recognized the episode of Doctor Who as the Christmas Invasion, one of Stiles’s favorites. He smiled and cleared his throat.

“I see you’re better.” He said.

Stiles and Allison’s heads popped out the front, both of them grinning as Stiles paused the episode.

“Hey dad!” He said happily. “Allison’s decided to learn about and understand all of my references!”

The Sheriff chuckled. “Good luck Allison. I’m his father and I don’t understand half of them.”

Allison shrugged. “They’re pretty good shows either way.”

The Sheriff smiled, knowing what she was doing. Stiles had been moping and depressed all weekend so she was trying to make him feel better by sacrificing her own sanity.

“Well I’m glad you had a good day son.” He said, heading for the kitchen. “Now, what’s for dinner?”

 

“Hey Allison?” Stiles asked as the credits rolled on what they’d just been watching.

“Yea Stiles?” She answered, looking at him. “What’s up?”

“You’re staying with me next week to right? I don’t want to be alone quite yet.”

She smiled. “Stiles I have willingly put up with you for almost a week now, yes I’m staying through finals week. After that though might be different.”

“What do you mean? What’s happening after that?” He was starting to panic at the thought of losing his only friend.

She set a hand on his arm. “Stop panicking Stiles.”

Stiles looked at her, still breathing heavy, so she leaned forward and wrapped an arm around him, pulling him to her. “Calm down Stiles. Just breathe alright. I’m not leaving you. I’m never leaving you like they did. It’s alright. Just breathe for me.”

Stiles took deep, shaking breaths, matching Allison’s breathing as best he could, as he calmed down. Once he was he looked at her. “What’s happening then if you’re not leaving me?”

“Some family members of mine have invited me to come stay with them for the summer and learn some more techniques.”

“To kill wolves.”

“Partly.”

“What?”

She took a deep breath. “These specific relatives are actually shunned by the rest because they’re not human. In fact they run a pack.”

“A werewolf pack?”

“An everything pack. They have wolves, yes, but they also have kanimas and their masters, werecougars, and some shapshifters. As well as some Druids. Pretty much everything that exists in this world can be found on that ranch.”

“Druids?” Stiles asked, hope in his voice.

“Yea. My aunt and uncle on my mom’s side run the place. She’s a Spark like you and he was bitten by a wolf when he was a boy. They run the place together with her in charge of magic and him in charge of the weres and shapeshifters. It’s set up as a heiherarchy so they’re the ultimate alphas but there are others under them to run smaller packs as well. I talked to them yesterday and told them about our situation. They’ve invited you to come with me to their ranch to learn more about your powers and take some time away from Beacon Hills before senior year.”

Stiles grinned. “Really? I’d get to learn from actual Druids?”

She grinned and nodded. “Yea actual Druids.”

Stiles lunged at her and hugged her tightly.

She laughed. “Am I taking this as a yes then?”

“Yes yes yes yes.” He chanted. Then he froze and pulled away. “Wait. My dad.”

Allison smirked. “I may have told him about it last night while you were showering.” She admitted. “And he said that if you want to take this opportunity then he isn’t going to stop you. But you will have to keep in touch with him of course.”

A grin split Stiles face again. “This summer is going to be amazing.”

Allison smiled back and pulled him in for another hug. “It most definitely is.”


	5. Summer

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Just so everyone knows I have made contact with the other writer and everything is fine. We're all good and this story will be continuing. So on with the chapter and sorry about the length, there will be a longer one tomorrow probably. Editing takes time as I write mostly at night and for some reason horse and house are the same thing at two am. Anyways, on with the chapter.

The day after finals were over Stiles and Allison packed up the jeep and drove away, heading for Wisconsin.

 

A week after finals Derek got sick of all the moping and made the pack help as they started rebuilding the Hale house. He pulled apart fight after fight between everyone, especially Scott and Jackson, as everyone blamed each other for Stiles leaving.

 

“This is my Aunt May and Uncle Boris.” Allison introduced. “And this is Stiles.”

May grinned and hugged Stiles tightly. “You’re going to do great here Stiles.” She whispered in his ear.

“Well I certainly hope so.” He answered, returning her hug.

 

“Would you imbeciles do just one thing right?” Derek demanded.

Peter set a hand on his nephew’s shoulder. “It’s alright Derek. He’ll come back.”

“I certainly hope so.” Derek muttered. “Or they’ll do more than just physical labor.”

 

“So what was your name again?” Stiles asked the girl he was next to. Everyone in the makeshift pack had been introduced to him the first day but he couldn’t remember any of their names.

“Samella Bledig is my chosen name.” She answered. “But just call me Sam.”

“What’s your name mean?”

“Well Samella is a very early earth goddess so that kind of shows my magic’s strong point and Bledig means ‘Like a wolf’.”

“Your favorite form is the wolf.” He remembered.

She nodded. “Hells yea.”

 

Derek stood, staring up at the half finished house. He knew he should feel happy but all he could feel was the emptiness that started the day Stiles and Allison left town. He’d tried to find where they went and if they were coming back but neither Chris nor the Sheriff would tell him anything. Chris had said sorry though, and that’s what worried him the most.

 

Stiles laughed as a wolf knocked him over and licked his face in greeting.

“Hey girl!” He said happily, pushing her off and sitting up to pet her. “How’re you doing?”

She gave a wolfy shrug and rubbed against him.

He chuckled. “Well I’m glad.”

 

Derek looked up at the finished house with a sad look on his face. It was bigger than his family’s seeing as they added more bedrooms and bathrooms to the plan, but he could see the original house underneath all that.

“He’ll come home.” Peter said, stepping up next to him. “I know you miss him but he will come back. I know he will.”

“How can you be so sure?” Derek asked, his voice low and pain filled.

“Because I know Stiles and his loyalty. He hated me and he still saved me. He’s a loyal boy. He’ll come home.”

 

Stiles winced as the tattoo wand bit into his skin.

“I really hope you know what you’re doing.” Allison said, holding his hand.

He smiled at her. “I do. I need this.”

She nodded, smiling fondly at him. “Alright.”

 

Derek winced as he pulled off yet another destroyed shirt and threw it in the trash. Everyone was beginning to realize just how much Stiles’s research helped them against monsters but Derek had already known. And it was nights like these, when people were injured and he missed the Stiles the most, that he let himself curl up in his bed and cry for the loss of his mate.

 

Stiles was laying on the grass under the stars with a wolf under his head and Allison next to him. “We go home next month.” He said.

“Are you ready?” Allison asked.

“Yea. Yea I think I am. I won’t be alone anymore.”

The wolf gave a sound of questioning and Stiles laughed.

“And yes of course I’m happy you guys are coming with.”

The wolf grinned and curled in to lick Stiles’s face. He pushed her away.

“Stop that ya weirdo.” He said but there was no malice behind it, just teasing.

 

“We start school in two weeks.” Scott said sadly, running his fingers through Isaac’s hair again.

Isaac nodded against Scott’s leg.

“And they still aren’t back.” Scott added.

Isaac nodded again.

“They might not be coming back.”

Isaac whimpered at the thought.

“Yea. Me too.”

Outside a lone wolf howled as it wished for its mate to return. Just as it’s done every night for the past week.

 

Stiles hugged Aunt May and Uncle Boris one last time and gave them a tear-filled smile.

“You best come back and visit us.” May said.

Stiles nodded. “I will Aunt May. I promise.”

“Good boy.” Boris said, ruffling Stiles hair. He’d let it grow out over the summer, despite the heat.

“We need to get going Stiles.” Allison said from by the jeep. “It’s a long drive home.”

Stiles nodded and gave a wave to the pack standing on the porch of the huge pack/ranch house before getting in the jeep. He wiped away tears as he pulled out, an SUV behind him.

“You alright?” Allison asked.

He nodded and laughed. “You know, for once I think I’m actually looking forward to seeing our former pack.”

“And why’s that?” She asked, amused.

“Because they’re gonna flip shit when they see us.”


	6. First Day

When Scott pulled up to school on the first day of senior year he wasn’t surprised to see the pack waiting together. They tend not to do much alone these days. Afraid of feeling loss again. He got out of the car and went over. Isaac automatically opened his side up and Scott slid in next to him.

“Anything?” He whispered.

They all shook their heads.

He nodded. “Then let’s get to class.”

They all turned and started towards the door before loud music and a familiar engine caught their attention. They turned back right as a blue jeep pulled into the parking lot, blaring country music, with Stiles at the wheel.

Except he didn’t look like Stiles. His hair was longer and his skin tanner. He’d filled out really well and his muscles were well defined. He was still wearing his signature graphic t-shirt with button-up over it but now they didn’t hang off of him like they used to. Now they fit him perfectly and showed off his toned chest and muscled arms. He was a piece of eye candy now. Allison was in the front seat and there were five more people, three guys and two girls, stuffed in the back. They finished the song together before Stiles shut the car off and they all clambered out. They pushed and shoved each other in the way that only best friends do. Laughing at each other’s singing skills they headed inside. And not once did any of them glance in the pack’s direction. They all noticed that Stiles even angled his body away from them but still looked comfortable, like he was doing it effortlessly. He walked with confidence and happiness that they hadn’t seen in him for a while, even before he left.

Isaac whimpered. Scott automatically answered by bumping his hip against him but they were all thinking and feeling the same thing. Stiles has moved on. He doesn’t need them.

The pack moved sadly towards the school, sadder now than when they didn’t know if he was coming back or not.

“Someone should tell Derek and Peter.” Jackson whispered.

“They already know.” Lydia said, pointing over her shoulder.

The others turned to look and sure enough, Derek and Peter were standing by the Camaro, parked across the street. Derek looked dead and Peter looked furious. Neither of them said anything, just got in the car and drove away.

**

“We’ll have to go see the alpha.” One of the new guys said as two of them plopped down across from Stiles at the picnic table. Stiles flinched at the thought of seeing Derek.

“Not you Stiles. But Seth and I will have to make ourselves known to him.” The other boy said.

“Why?” Stiles spat. “He doesn’t deserve the courtesy.”

“But they will still give it.” The new girl said, setting a hand on Stiles’s arm as she was next to him. “We are not monsters.”

Stiles nodded. “I’m not going with then.”

“You don’t have to. Your dad’s given you permission to stay with me at my place so you will come home with me after school while they go meet with him.”

“You coming Allison?” Stiles asked her as she sat down next to him.

“Coming where?” She asked.

Stiles smiled. “Keep forgetting you can’t hear the conversation before you join it.”

“Seth and Joe have to go make themselves known to the alpha. Stiles is coming home with me instead of going with.”

“Yea sure I’ll come.” Allison said smiling. “I could use some feminine time.”

Stiles groaned and hit his head on the table at being included in that. The others bit back laughs.

“I hate you all.” He muttered.

The others laughed at him.

“You’ll be alright babe.” The new girl said. “You don’t need them anymore.”

Stiles nodded, bringing his head up with a smile on his face. “I know Sam. I know.”

The other two new kids plopped down at the table and smiled at Stiles.

“Don’t let them bring you down mon.” The guy said in a fake Jamacian accent.

“Somebody smack Zach.” The girl Stiles called Sam said through the laughter of everyone.

The other new girl smacked him.

“Thank you Chandra.”

“Yup.” The girl burped.

Everyone dissolved into laughter again, the serious topic of the other pack lost in the burping competition that ensued.

**

Derek drove Peter home and then took off into the woods, needing to burn off his emotions. Seeing Stiles with other people and being _happy_ shouldn’t hurt this much. He should be happy because his mate is home and happy and smiling and laughing but it _hurts_ to know that he isn’t the cause of it all. He knows Stiles probably came back for his dad and those new friends of his are the reason he was happy and it makes his wolf mourn because he’s never going to convince Stiles to trust him again. He let loose, letting his wolf out. He shifted to his full Alpha form and sprinted through the trees, trying to forget that laughter and the smile and the scent of that brown eyed boy that stole him and his wolf away.

He ended up running to the school and stood in the woods. He was going to turn away again when he heard that laugh again. He froze and listened.

“You’re an idiot.” He laughed.

“And yet you love me.” A female voice said.

“And I’ll never figure out why.” Stiles answered.

Derek almost threw up. Love? Stiles loved someone else? No. No. Please god no. Please. Derek’s life can’t suck this much right. The one person he chose to love more than anyone else in the entire world doesn’t even love him back. The universe is cruel and Derek must be her bitch.

“We’ll have to go see the alpha.” A male voice said.

Stiles must’ve reacted to that as the next thing said was by another unknown male voice and he said, “Not you Stiles.” Then he added, “But Seth and I will have to make ourselves known to him.”

Are they talking about him? What are they that that’s required? Derek matched the name Seth to the first male voice, automatically categorizing any information he gains like the leader he finally learned to be, and continued listening.

“Why?” Stiles’s voice spat. “He doesn’t deserve the courtesy.”

Derek’s heart broke even more at that. Stiles thinks he doesn’t even deserve the courtesy of knowing what’s in his territory? That hurt almost as much as the love comment.

“But they will still give it.” The female voice said again, her voice calm. “We are not monsters.”

“I’m not going with then.” Stiles declared.

Derek figured that was for the best as he’d shatter if he had to see Stiles laughing and smiling with these other people again.

“You don’t have to.” The female answered him. “Your dad’s given you permission to stay with me at my place so you will come home with me after school while they go meet with him.”

“You coming Allison?” Stiles asked. Allison must’ve joined them.

“Coming where?” She asked.

There was a smile in Stiles voice as he spoke. Derek’s heart almost melted at the sound of that smile. “Keep forgetting you can’t hear the conversation before you join it.”

“Seth and Joe have to go make themselves known to the alpha.” The other girl explained. Stiles is coming home with me instead of going with.”

Joe. That must be the other male. Derek matched the voice and name together.

“Yea sure I’ll come.” Allison answered “I could use some feminine time.”

Derek could hear Stiles groan and there was a thump as if he hit his head against the table. He was probably embarrassed to be included in feminine time.

“I hate you all.” He said.

The other voices laughed. There was Stiles, Allison, the girl, and who he guessed to be Seth and Joe among them.

“You’ll be alright babe.” The unknown female said. Babe? First love and now babe? Derek really had to stop himself from crying at that.

“You don’t need them anymore.” The girl declared.

“I know Sam. I know.” Stiles answered.

Sam. Derek matched the name to the female voice but couldn’t give her a face yet. He felt bad for hoping she was ugly even though he knew she’d be beautiful. Stiles always attracts beautiful people to him and Derek knew his new girlfriend would be no different. He knew she’d be gorgeous.

“Don’t let them bring you down mon.” Another guy said in a Jamacian accent. He must’ve just joined.

“Somebody smack Zach.” Sam’s voice declared.

There was a sound of a slap followed by snickering.

“Thank you Chandra.” Sam said.

“Yup.” Another female said, burping. She probably joined when the Zach boy did.

Everyone in Stiles’s group started laughing again and Derek finally managed to turn away from the school and go back into the forest. His heart was shattered before put now it feels like each piece is being slowly ground into powder. He was never going to be able to get his mate back.

**

Derek knew school was just getting out so he got up and went out to wait on the porch. They said they were going to see the alpha and he’s the only alpha. He knew none of his pack would be here any time soon as the lacrosse players have cross country practice and everyone else would wait for them to be done before coming out. They truly did travel as a pack now, rarely leaving each other during the day. And he knew that even at night none of them slept alone. They’d grown so close from the loss of Stiles it was almost disgusting. They’d lost Stiles because they hadn’t included him so in response they just became closer and excluded everyone else as well.

He was dragged from his thoughts by the sound of footsteps coming up the drive. He stood up straight and watched as two boys walked up the driveway.

“Good morning!” One of them waved. He had a mop of long, wavy, messy brown curls on his head and his blue eyes were soft. Derek recognized his voice as Seth.

“It’s not morning you idiot!” The other exclaimed, smacking his head. He had dark, wavy hair and bright green eyes. Derek recognized that voice as Joe.

“It’s morning somewhere!” The one called Seth answered. “Like Australia or something!”

Joe gave an exasperated sigh and looked at Derek. “Ignore him he’s an idiot.”

“Am not!”

“Are to!”

“Would both of you stop that?” Derek growled, annoyed. “Who are you and why are you here?”

“My name’s Joseph.” Joe introduced. “And this is Seth.” He gestured to his companion, who bowed mockingly. Joe rolled his eyes but smiled at Derek. “We’re werewolves. Our leader wanted us to be sure to let you know we’re here. And that we will be staying for the foreseeable future.”

Derek nodded. “Is that all?”

“Well she also wanted me to tell you to keep your pack away from her house. She won’t hesitate to kill them for hurting Stiles like they did.” Seth added.

Derek held back all his emotions at that and nodded. “That’s it?”

They both nodded.

“Then get off my property.” He growled. “And tell your leader I want to speak with her.”

The two of them turned tail and ran.

“Well that went well.” Peter said, stepping outside.

Derek collapsed, falling to his knees. “I’ve lost him.” He whispered. “I’ve lost my mate forever.”

Peter put a hand on his nephew’s shoulder to comfort him. “I know it seems bad Derek, but it’ll all work out. I know it will.”

“How?” Derek choked out.

“Because I’m smarter than you.”

Derek snorted.

“There’s the smile we need. Come on. Let’s get you put back together before the pack gets here.”

**

“I love your hands.” Stiles declared, wriggling his toes in Sam’s lap as she massaged his feet.

Sam rolled her eyes but didn’t respond.

“You’re a lucky bastard you know that?” Allison asked.

Stiles grinned. “I know. I lost an ungrateful pack and gained this one instead.”

“Glad to know you love us!” Chandra sang from the other couch.

Stiles laughed. “Course I do! You’re my pack!”

“Well I’d hope so.” Sam said. “After all, we moved our asses out here for you.”

Stiles smiled at her. “And I love you all for that.”

“You fucking better.” Seth muttered, coming inside.

“What happened?” Sam asked, bending her head back to accept a hello kiss from Joe.

“He doesn’t mind us being here but he wants to see you to.” Joe answered, sitting on the couch arm next to her.

Sam groaned. “But I don’t want to meet him.” She whined.

The others laughed and Stiles kicked her.

“Just do it so he doesn’t come looking for you and find me.”

Sam sighed. “Fine. But only because it’s you babe.”

“I still think that’s weird.” Joe declared.

“You’ll always think it’s weird sweetie.” Sam said, smiling up at him.

“Did you guys hear?” Seth asked.

“What?” Chandra answered.

“Scott and Jackson got in a major fight right after school today. Like they were almost wolfing out.”

“Why?” Zach asked.

“We all know why.” Sam answered. “They’re still blaming each other for Stiles leaving when it was all of them that caused it.”

“They act like children sometimes.” Stiles said. “It’s annoying.”

“Sometimes?” Joe asked.

“All the time.” Seth finished.

“We had to listen to them all day.” Joe told Stiles. “They kept talking about you and us and what happened over the summer and if you were going to talk to them and they never fucking shut up.”

Stiles chuckled.

“Fuck you it was awful.” Joe said, glaring at Stiles but without any fire behind it.

“Both of you stop.” Sam said. “Yes it’s awful, yes they’re children, and yes the sky is filled with fucking air now shut up.

Joe rolled his eyes and got up. “Who’s turn is it to make dinner?”

“Allison’s.” Stiles and Seth answered.

Joe nodded and headed upstairs.

“Where is she by the way?” Seth added.

“She had to run over to her dad’s house to see him and get some stuff. She’ll be back soon to make dinner.” Chandra answered.

Seth groaned and threw himself on the floor. “But I want her here nooooowww.” He whined.

“Sethanial I will cut your balls off if you don’t stop whining.” Sam warned.

He shut up.

“Are you threatening my boyfriend’s balls again?” Allison asked, coming downstairs.

“Allison!” Seth exclaimed, getting up and tackling her.

She caught him easily and hugged him back. “Geez Sam what’d you say to him?”

“Chan told him that you were still at your dad’s and weren’t home yet.”

“For Christ’s sake Seth you are a werewolf. _Listen._ ” Allison said. “I went upstairs not thirty seconds before you got home.”

He ducked his head, embarrassed.

She rolled her eyes and headed for the kitchen. “Come on. You can peel the potatoes.”

“What are we having?” Joe asked, coming back down in sweatpants. Without a shirt. Sam shamelessly stared at his abs before giving a satisfied nod.

“Steak and potatoes!” Allison announced happily.

Everyone cheered.

“God it’s great to be home.” Stiles declared.

**

Sam went to see Derek that night. She made plenty of noise approaching the house and he was waiting for her when she stepped from the trees.

When she stepped out he was a little shocked. She had a slight build, thin and dainty, but she carried herself with the confidence of a natural born leader. She had light brown hair falling down to her waist in soft waves, soft whiskey colored eyes, and a few moles on her visible skin. She almost looked like a female Stiles. Almost.

“Derek Hale I presume.” She said.

“Yes. And I assume you are Seth and Joseph’s leader.”

“I am. I am also Joseph’s mate. You can call me Sam.”

Derek’s heart skipped a beat. She was bound to Joe? But that meant she wasn’t with Stiles. Unless it was some weird tri-relationship. But wolves hardly ever share. Stiles isn’t with this girl meaning Derek has a tiny, tiny, slim chance of things ending okay.

“Who else does your pack member consist of besides two wolves?” He asked, ignoring his feelings for a bit longer. “Including what you are.”

 “I am a High Druid. My new student of magic is also here, as well as her boyfriend, who is a shapeshifter. We also have two humans in our group. But I believe you know them already.”

“Why are you here?”

“My pack member asked us to be.”

“And why did they do that?”

“Because he grew up in this town and wasn’t going to let some stupid pack drive him away from the place he loves.” Sam knew she smelled like Stiles. She knew that it would be affecting Derek. She didn’t know how much. She didn’t know that he chose Stiles as his mate and that her smelling like him and his happiness was killing him inside.

“What does your shapeshifter become?” Derek asked, ignoring the pain in his chest.

“Any sort of cat.” She answered.

“And you?”

“I can become anything I want as long as it lives in a forest.”

Derek nodded. “Your group may stay on this land but I must ask for something in return.”

“You’re not getting near Stiles.”

Derek shook his head. “Not that. I would love to talk to him and regain his trust but I understand what my pack did to him and will not force him to see me if he does not want to.”

“Then what do you want?”

“If there is a threat to this town I expect your group’s full cooperation in dealing with it.”

“Deal. But I must ask you something.”

“And what is that?”

“How long has my former student been your mate?” Because now she could feel it. She could feel his mind reaching out towards Stiles through her mind.

“Who?” He asked, already knowing who she meant.

“Stiles. I trained him this summer. To control his Spark and use to protect himself. How long has it been since you chose him as your mate?”

“A year in December.”

She nodded. “You should’ve waited to take him. You should’ve told him first.”

“I know. I didn’t realize it until it was too late and then it was strange. But the bond is still breakable so if he doesn’t chose me back, I’m fine. I also should’ve been there to protect him from my pack.”

“I agree.” Sam said. “But that’s in the past now. I can feel your pain Derek. And I understand it. You have been kind enough to allow my pack to stay here because that boy is the reason we are here. You wouldn’t let us stay if it wasn’t for him. And for that I thank you. And I’m going to tell you something that might make that ache in your chest give a little.”

“And what’s that?” Derek asked, acutely aware of the pain now that she brought it up.

“Out of everyone in your pack, you and your Uncle were the only two Stiles could talk about with us. He cried and shut down every time he tried to bring up one of the others. But he told me all about you and Peter. Allison told me about the rest of the pack but he only ever talked of you two. He knew you didn’t know, but he’s still mad.”

Derek bowed his head. “Thank you.” He whispered, the pain receding a little knowing that Stiles hadn’t forgotten him.

She nodded. “You should also know that he had some of your shirts with him.” Her voice was soft and understanding. “He packed them and brought them along. He’d wear them on the full moon. Or when he was having a bad day. Which at first was often. But he got better. He started to heal with us. Don’t break him again if he lets you back in.”

Derek nodded. “I won’t.”

“I know you won’t.” Sam said. “But you should know that our pack is bigger than us seven. We met at a pack territory with dozens of people with dozens of different powers. I lead this group here but our top alpha remains there. And that alpha happens to have a real soft spot for Stiles. If you hurt him, the entire pack will come after you. And we will make you feel so much pain that you will beg to die. Then we will let you go so you can torture yourself with the knowledge that you hurt him again. And I will be right at the front the entire time projecting his pain into you so you can feel what you did to him. There will be no point in running. We can track across the world if need be. He is my student and I will protect him with everything in me. I will protect him to my last breath. Do you understand me?”

Derek nodded.

“Good.” She turned away from him but looked back over her shoulder. “Nice house by the way. I’ll tell Sti you rebuilt it.”

“Thank you.” Derek whispered.

“For what?”

“For saying what you did. It-it helped.”

She smiled. “I figured it would. He still cares about you and it hurts me to see you in pain because of that.” She walked away but called back, her voice floating on the night breeze. “You have my approval Derek. Now just earn the others’ and you’ll be that much closer to regaining Stiles’s.”


	7. Full Moon

“Are you Sam?” Scott asked, stopping at her locker.

She glanced at him and rolled her eyes, surprised it took them this long to send one of them to try and talk to one of them. “What do you want Scott McCall?”

He seemed a bit surprised that she knew his name but plowed on. “Will you give him a message? From us?”

“Who’s us?”

“The pack.”

“What’s the message?”

“You’ll give it to him?”

“We’ll see.”

“We want him to know that we miss him and need him. We didn’t realize just how much he did for this pack until he was gone and we want him back. We _need_ him back.”

Sam slammed her locker. “You should’ve thought about that before you shattered him into a million pieces for me and Allison to pick up and put back together.” Sam walked away, shoving Scott into the lockers as she passed him. He leaned against them in defeat.

“Nothing?” Isaac asked, coming up behind him and slipping an arm around his waist.

“Nothing.” Scott said. “I don’t know what to do Isaac. I need him back.”

“We all do Scott.” Isaac whispered, looking down the hall to see the rest of the pack, listening in. “We all do.”

**

Stiles was waiting for Sam at the end of the hallway to walk out to the picnic table together.

“What was that?” He asked, referring to Scott.

“He wanted me to tell you that they need you back.”

He looked a little guilty and she stopped. She put her hand on his chin and gently pulled it up so he was looking at her. “Let them miss you. They took advantage of you because they thought you’d always stay. Let them realize how much they need you and _earn_ you back.”

Stiles nodded. “Okay.”

“Good. Now let’s go eat lunch.”

They walked over to the table and Sam ruffled Zach’s blonde hair as they passed.

He groaned. “Would you stop that?”

“Not until it doesn’t bother you.” Sam snarked.

“You never ruffle the others’ hair.” He whined.

“It doesn’t bother the other boys. Joe likes it and Seth doesn’t care. And Chandra would kill me if I messed up her perfect black curls.”

Chandra flashed Zach a smile.

He stuck his tongue out at her.

“One of these days I’m going to bite that thing off when it’s in my mouth and you won’t be able to do that.” She said, smirking.

“If I don’t have a tongue I couldn’t eat you out pretty lady.”

“Hm. Good point. Maybe I’ll just ask Sam to pierce it then. That might feel good down there.”

Zach’s eyes widened and he clapped his hands over his mouth, protecting it from Sam’s piercing tools.

Sam rolled her eyes. “Put your hands down Zachary you look like an idiot.”

He dropped his hands but kept an eye on Sam’s hands as they all dug into their food.

“Full moon’s tomorrow night.” Joe said.

“Yup.” Sam said, grabbing a fry from Stiles, who glared at her. She just gave him a smile.

“We doing the usual?” Seth asked.

“Probably not.” Sam shrugged. “We can’t go run because the other pack’ll be out so a night in seems like fun.”

“I still can’t believe he let us stay here.” Seth said. “He seemed pissed when we saw him.”

Joe nodded in agreement. “Completely off the scale.”

“Well we got permission and it’s been working fine for two weeks, don’t screw it up tonight and tomorrow I’ll even make my huge after moon breakfast for us all to gorge on before we spend the day together.”

Everyone grinned at the prospect of Sam’s breakfast.

“God now I want your pancakes.” Joe groaned. “Bitch.”

Sam grinned. “And yet you love me.”

“No clue why.” He muttered.

“Probably has something to do with the fact she saved your life.” Seth fake whispered.

Joe shrugged. “Probably. That or her tongue. I’m not quite sure.”

**

The full moon rolled around and Stiles found himself surrounded by ansty people, blaring music, and a shit ton of food. He watched as the wolves stuffed themselves, their metabolisms on over-drive from the moon, and the other three danced around, singing. Allison and he were on the couch, a bowl of popcorn between them, watching their pack mates embarrass themselves to whatever was next on Sam’s iPod.

“This is great.” Stiles said.

Allison smiled and reached over to ruffle his hair. “It’s nice to actually have fun on a full moon.”

Stiles nodded in agreement. Better than sitting in the burnt out shell of a house and waiting for the wolves to finish running. “Here at least there’s running water.”

Allison laughed. “And you don’t have to use poison ivy.”

Stiles groaned, remembering that. He hadn’t been able to sit for over a week. “I’m never living that down, am I?”

“Nope.” She answered, popping the p.

Stiles groaned again and leaned over the popcorn to hit his head on her shoulder. “I hate the world.”

“No you don’t.” Allison said, raising a hand to run it through his hair. “You love your life.”

Stiles sighed. “Yes. Yes I do. It’s very awesome.”

As a new song came on Sam spun towards Stiles, a grin on her face.

“No.” He said, holding up a hand. “No we’re not singing this together. No Sam get away from me.” He scrambled over the back of the couch, trying to get away, but she caught him for and sang to him as she dragged him around the room ‘dancing’.

_If you wanna be my lover, you gotta get with my friends (gotta get with my friends)_

_Make it last forever friendship never ends,_

_If you wanna be my lover, you have got to give,_

_Taking is too easy, but that's the way it is._

_What do you think about that now you know how I feel,_

_Say you can handle my love are you for real,_

_I won't be hasty, I'll give you a try_

_If you really bug me then I'll say goodbye._

_Yo I'll tell you what I want, what I really really want,_

_So tell me what you want, what you really really want,_

_I wanna, I wanna, I wanna, I wanna, I wanna really_

_really really wanna zigazig ha._

Stiles knew pulling away was fruitless so he just gave in and danced with her, singing along. When the song was over he escaped back to the couch and the safety of Allison while Sam laughed and grabbed Seth to dance with.

“I swear one of these days she’s going to kill me with her full moon energy.” Stiles muttered to Allison, who laughed.

“You know you love her Sti.”

“That means nothing if I’m dead!”

**

Derek wiped the last dish dry and then went outside. The pack was waiting for him, attentively. Half of them had already shifted and the others did when he saw them.

“We stay away from Sam’s house.” He ordered, both because of Sam’s order and because he didn’t think he’d be able to control himself well enough if they got near Stiles. It’s been too long since the human had been around on a full moon. “There will be no contact between the packs tonight. Is that understood?”

They all nodded.

“Then let’s run.” Derek jumped off the porch, landed on all fours, and ran for the trees, the pack right behind him. They raced through the woods, snapping at each other and getting rid of energy. Derek was in front, ignoring the antics of the rest and just letting his wolf take over. He needed to get rid of all the excess energy in his veins. He’d been humming with it all day and he needed it out.

They ran for a while before Derek caught a strange scent and altered his course to follow it, knowing the pack would follow him. He followed it easily, whatever it was didn’t even try to hide it’s scent. And then he found it and realized way. He skidded, trying to stop, before darting to the left as a huge fist slammed down where he’d been. The pack came in after him, doing the same thing.

Derek looked at the thing, taking in its size. He had no idea what it was so he made a split second decision that he might live to regret. He threw his head back he howled.


	8. Working Together

All seven of them looked up as a howl echoed from the woods. Then they all looked at Sam. She shot to her feet, knowing it was Derek and she had a promise to keep, and looked at the others. They all recognized it as a howl with only one meaning. Begging for help. A wolf in need. Sam locked eyes with Stiles and they silently communicated. She knew he recognized the howl and knew what it meant. She wanted to know if he wanted to go with. He didn’t. So she looked at the others.

“Joe and Sam with me.” She ordered. “Chandra and Zach protect the den.” She spun and raced from the house, jumping over the back porch railing.

Stiles ran out after her, stopping on the porch. “Sam!” He shouted.

She turned to look at him, her eyes already going silver.

“Save them.” He said. “Don’t let them get hurt.” He didn’t want to go but he didn’t want them getting hurt.

She nodded and turned back. Seth and Joe were at the forest edge, waiting for her. She threw herself forward, shifting into a wolf, and raced into the woods, the boys right behind her.

“And stay safe yourself.” Stiles added in a quiet voice, knowing they wouldn’t hear it now anyways. “Come home. All three of you.”

**

Sam led the two werewolves through the woods, dodging trees and branches with ease. She could hear the battle ahead and kicked into gear, using magic to propel her through the forest. She burst into the clearing and took notice of several things in the single second before she hit the monster.

One: It was huge. Like ten times the size of a human.

Two: It _reeked_. It smelled worse than a sewer and Sam knows how that smells.

Three: There were two werewolves at the edge of the clearing. One was clearly injured and the other was protecting him. Sam recognized them as Scott and Isaac, Scott being the one injured.

Four: They were trying to attack an earth giant with teeth and claws, which wasn’t going to work.

Five: Derek appeared to be sitting on top of the giant’s head, holding onto its vine hair with one hand while he clawed with the other.

Six: The rest of his pack was attacking the rest of the giant and just pissing it off even more.

Seven: The giant appeared to be rotting as its bark-like clothes were molding and peeling away and it was a sickly yellow-green instead of its normal plant green.

Eight: Stiles’s old pack really did need him if they thought they could kill an earth giant without magical help.

Nine: There wasn’t a single wolf in the pack that wasn’t injured and bloody already.

And Ten: Sam was flying straight towards its arm as it swung it around.

It knocked her from the air. She shifted quickly, becoming a hummingbird and darting away. She fell back to the earth and shifted back to human, raising her hands as her eyes started turning red instead of silver. “OUT OF THE WAY!” She screamed.

Her two wolves dove away quickly, not questioning her orders, but Derek’s pack hesitated until he threw himself off the giant’s head and rolling to a stop by the trees. Then they detached and got out of the way. Her eyes filled with a red glow and fire shot from her hands. It connected with the giant and it screamed. The giant fell to its knees as its body went up in flames. Sam waved her hands, keeping the fire from darting away and lighting the forest by just turning it back in towards the giant.

It burned quickly, turning into a giant pile of ash. Sam’s eyes faded to normal and she dropped her hands, breathing deeply. As she came down from the battle high she swung to face Derek. “What the hell was that Derek Hale?!” She demanded. “You can’t go looking for a fight with a fucking earth giant and expect to kill it with tooth and claw! It was weak I’ll grant you that but it would still kill you before you could even make a dent!”

“We didn’t know what it was.” He said breathlessly, getting to his feet and holding his bloody side. “We had no idea. And we didn’t go looking for it. We were running and I caught the scent.”

“Is your ignorance supposed to make me feel better about the fact that my boys could’ve died because of you?!” She asked before growling and turning, walking over to Seth and Joe, her face softening. “Are you two alright?”

The both nodded but she noticed Joe’s hand against a bloody side though and knelt next to him. She pulled his hand aside gently and looked at it. It was already healing and she sighed in relief. “You’ll be alright.” She whispered.

Joe smiled softly, knowing it would sooth her worries more. “I always am.” He whispered.

She smiled back and then at Seth before standing and looking back at Derek. “Are you or any of your pack in need of medical assistance?” Her voice was cold. She was pissed about Joe being injured because of Derek’s stupidity. And while she was pissed at him and still annoyed at this pack she cannot let an injured go unhelped.

“Scott.” Isaac said immediately. “Please? He’s not healing.”

She nodded and walked over. She knelt down next to him and pulled away his shirt to look at the wound. It was one huge gash along his stomach and it was barely healing.

“Joe I need you to find me lavender.” She said. “And Derek I’m going to need you over here to hold him down. You too Isaac.”

Derek walked over and Joe darted into the forest, returning quickly with a handful of lavender sprigs.

“Thank you babe.” She said. She crushed the sprigs in her hands and looked at the other two wolves. “Hold him down.”

They nodded and Isaac knelt behind him, knees on his shoulders, with his wrists pinned on either side of Isaac’s shins. Derek went down and straddled Scott’s knees, pinning his hips with his hands.

“Ready?” Sam asked.

They nodded.

“Hold him tight.” She said before dumping the lavender in the wound and clamping her hands over it. “Só leigheas seo créachta. Agus cneasaigh an mac tíre.” Her eyes flashed green and Scott’s wound smoked before quickly healing shut.

Sam fell back off her knees, breathing heavy again. “Damn.” She breathed.

Joe was at her side in a second, his own wound already healed. “Sam?” He asked, his voice filled with worry. “You okay?”

She nodded. “Bit too much magic in a few too many types a bit too quickly.” She said.

He laughed. “Only you.”

She hit his arm and pulled away to see Scott and Isaac embracing. “Oh get a room if you’re going to give off that much arousal boys.”

They pulled apart, blushing.

“Thank you.” Isaac said. “For saving him.”

She nodded. “You’re welcome Isaac.”

“Yea um uh thanks?” Scott said.

Sam smiled, laughing a bit. “You’re welcome Scott.”

“Why did your eyes change to different colors each time?” Erica asked. “They were silver when you turned human, then they turned red with the fire, and now they just turned green.”

“They show which kind of magic I’m using.” Sam answered. “Silver is shapeshifting. Red is fire. Green is earth. Healing is earthly magic.”

“What are the other kinds?” Isaac asked.

Sam smiled, happy with the interest. “My eyes turn blue if I work with water. They go white when I play with air.” She glanced at Derek and saw he was uncomfortable and her smile fell. She looked back at Isaac. “Maybe one day I’ll be able to take the time to show you but right now the rest of my pack needs to know what’s happened.”

Everyone looked at Derek.

“Come to our training session on Monday after school and you can show them.”

Sam snorted. “Don’t expect things to change between us now that I’ve saved your asses. I was only honoring our agreement that I assist with foes you cannot handle. Stiles still doesn’t want anything to do with you and I honor him and his wishes with ease. Earn him back and maybe you’ll get to know about magic.” She got to her feet and looked at Joe and Seth. “Ready?”

They nodded and shifted easily, heading into the woods. Sam followed, turning back to look at them all. “I’m glad you’re all alright.” She said before turning away, shifting into a wolf, and running off.

Isaac looked at Scott. “Isn’t everything supposed to change after lives are saved?” He muttered.

“This isn’t a fairytale Isaac.” Jackson said. “So we may as well stop thinking things are just going to heal on their own. We need to work if we want Stiles back.”

“Don’t push it.” Derek said. “We can’t afford to push him further away.”

“I don’t think he can get any further away.” Scott said. “He already hates us all and wouldn’t have cared if we got hurt tonight. Sam only came to keep the peace between her and Derek so they could stay here and Stiles could be near his dad.”

Derek didn’t say anything to that, just looked up at the moon, hanging full above their heads.

“We need him back.” Boyd whispered.

The others nodded.

“But how can we prove that to him?” Erica asked.

“I don’t know.” Scott said. “But we’ll figure it out.”

**

Stiles was waiting on the porch when the three of them lopped back out of the trees. Sam shifted back to human, the silver fading quickly, and smiled at him.

“I should’ve known you’d wait for us.”

Stiles smiled. “Is everyone alright?”

Sam nodded. “Scott almost died but other than that it was nothing a werewolf couldn’t heal with time.”

Stiles’s eyes widened with worry. “Is he-did he-?”

“He’s fine.” She said, pulling him into her arms. “I healed him and he’s fine now.”

Stiles sighed in relief, relaxing into her arms. “Thank god.”

“Thought you hated them?” Sam muttered.

He pulled away, biting his bottom lip. “I was thinking about it while you were gone and I think I want to give them another chance.”

“That didn’t answer my question about hating them.”

“I don’t know what I’m feeling. That’s why I want to try.” He took a deep breath. “I’m so confused Sam. I don’t know what these feelings are. All I know is that when I heard that howl I was _scared_. For them. And you guys. More you guys but still they were being worried about to and I don’t fucking know if that means I’ve forgiven them and don’t know it or what so I need to try. I need to try and be around them for a while and then I will hopefully have a better grasp on this because fuck I’m confused.”

Sam nodded. “Alright. Well why don’t you think on it and if you still want to in, let’s say a week, then I’ll talk to Derek and we’ll go to a training session or something.”

Stiles nodded, smiling. “Thank you.”

She smiled back and hugged him again. “Anything for a brother.”

“So what was it anyways?” He asked as they walked inside.

“An earth giant.”

Stiles froze at the words, terror on his face. “But that means-”

“Yea.” She nodded. “I don’t know what’s going on here Stiles, but it isn’t good. In fact, we could all be in danger.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Só leigheas seo créachta. Agus cneasaigh an mac tíre. - Heal this wound. And heal the wolf.


	9. Families

A week later Stiles walked into the house, dropped his backpack, and laid down on the floor.

“Stiles?” Sam asked, coming out of the kitchen, drying her hands on a hand towel. “Why are you on the floor?”

“Because I’m trying to sink through the ground and die.” He answered, his voice muffled by the floor.

“Why?” She asked.

“Because I’m an idiot.”

“What’d you do?”

“I told my dad he could grill burgers for dinner tonight when we go over.”

“Ah.” She said. “Well you could just take him something for him to eat instead.”

“That’s not the point.” He groaned.

“Then what is?”

“I’m weak.” He declared. “Weak and easily talked into red meat.”

Sam laughed and walked over. She threw the towel in her hands over her shoulder and grabbed the back of his shirt, hauling him to his feet. She brushed off his shoulders and pat his face. “You’re fine Stiles. Now go put your bag in your room and get ready to go. Your dad’s expecting us. Why are you so late anyways?”

“I stopped at the library on the way home.” He said. “Got distracted.”

She rolled her eyes. “You’re an idiot.”

“But I’m your idiot!” He shouted, going upstairs.

“That you are.” She muttered. “That you are.”

**

Scott gave his mother a sad smile as he walked inside. She returned it, used to there never being happiness on her son’s face.

“I’m making lasagna tonight.” She called. “Is Isaac coming over?”

“You know the answer mom.” He called back. “It’s the same as every other night.”

She sighed. “I’ll make another lasagna then.”

“Thanks mom.” Scott called.

Melissa nodded. “You’re welcome mijo.” She whispered, knowing he’d hear her.

She’d gotten used to this Scott. The Scott that came home one day with tears running down his face to tell her that Stiles and Allison were gone. The Scott that admitted to being a horrible best friend and letting Stiles think he was worthless. The Scott that said his girlfriend left him because he was an awful friend and deserved no one in life. The Scott that Derek had called to tell her that her son had tried to kill Jackson and would need to have an eye on him so he didn’t try anything stupid. The Scott that fell apart without his best friend there to hold him together. The Scott that Melissa would have to listen to scream through the night because he couldn’t bear the hole in his mind Stiles used to fill. The Scott that walked around in a daze for a week before Derek burst in and dragged him away to work on the house. The Scott that slowly pulled himself back together, with her there to be his glue, and with the pack’s help became almost hole again. But he’s still the Scott with a Stiles shaped hole in his heart and mind because he chased his best friend away. He’s a broken Scott.

**

They pulled up to the Stilinski house and got out of the jeep. Sam glanced at the ground.

“I see your dad got rid of the mountain ash.”

“Yea the pack promised to leave him alone and he removed it. But then he put lines at my bedroom door and window so they couldn’t get to my stuff.”

“Smart man.” Sam said.

“Very smart.” Stiles agreed.

“I’d like to think I’m a genius.” The Sheriff said from the doorway.

Stiles grinned and ran up to give his dad a hug.

“It’s nice to see you again Sheriff.” Sam said, reaching out a hand.

He rolled his eyes. “One, I told you last time to call me John, and two, which I also told you last time, we Stilinski men hug.” With that declaration he pulled Sam into a tight squeeze and clapped her on the shoulder when he let go. “Alright, dinner’s almost done so where are the rest of ya.”

“On their way.” Sam answered. “They went out for a run together so they’re probably showering right now before they come over.”

“Alright, we’ll wait for them and then we’ll start.”

“You get one burger dad.” Stiles declared, following his dad into the house. “And only one. So you better make it count.”

The Sheriff grinned at his son, knowing it was a mistake when he said he could have any red meat in the first place.

**

Isaac walked in to the McCall house and smiled at Mrs. McCall. She gave him a small smile back.

“Is Scott upstairs?” He asked.

“You know he is.” She answered.

He smiled. “Still feels right to ask.”

She nodded. “Take your shoes off and go on up. Dinner’ll be ready in about ten minutes.”

He nodded and walked past.

Melissa sighed. She loves Isaac like a son. And considering his relationship with her son he might become her son one day. But for right now she can’t look at him for long without seeing the same thing she sees in Scott. The pain and loss at losing Stiles from the pack.

The first time she saw Isaac after Scott fell apart was a day after Derek dragged him away again. He’d stumbled inside during dinner and fallen to the floor, crying and covered in blood. They’d both been worried immediately but he just said it was his and asked to clean up. He cried the whole way to the bathroom and there were still tears in his eyes when he came back out. He said he’d tried to kill himself by jumping off a building but all he got was a lot of pain and blood. But that he felt better afterwards. Like he’d freed something from his heart. Scott had hugged him tightly and told him to come over any time he felt like doing it again. Isaac came over every night for a week before making a move and kissing Scott. They’ve been inseparable since and spend every night together, fending off each other’s nightmares.

It hurts her to see her boys like that, but she knows she can’t do anything. This was Stiles’s choice and he made it. She can only hope that he’ll see what him leaving did to them and decide to fix them. Fix them all.

**

The pack showed up loud and rambunctious as always. They each gave Sam a kiss on the cheek as the passed her before settling around the living room. Joe didn’t bother with other furniture and just joined Sam in the armchair she was occupying.

“No. No getting comfortable.” Stiles said, coming out of the kitchen. “Food’s on the table so let’s go.”

Everyone cheered and ran for the kitchen. There was mass chaos as every grabbed buns and burgers and toppings and sides and threw them on plates before rushing out again. It was just Sam, Joe, Stiles, and John left in the kitchen all of them laughing.

“I’d forgotten how much a pack likes it’s food.” John said. “It’s good to see it again.”

Sam grinned. “Thank you for having us for dinner. It was my night to cook and I had no idea what to make.”

John nodded. “Well of course. And now I expect to see you all for dinner at least once a month.”

“You’ve got it dad.” Stiles said, grinning. “But no red meat next time.”

**

Melissa pulled the lasagnas out of the oven and shouted upstairs. “Boys! Come eat dinner!”

“Coming Mom!” Scott shouted back.

She set the food on the table and got out glasses for drinks and was just sitting down when they walked in. They didn’t say anything, just smiled at her, as they sat down. The three of them ate in silence. Melissa has learned not to try and force conversation at dinner. At first she tried but now she’s given up. They talk if they want to. And tonight they obviously don’t want to.

There was a sound of a phone buzzing as they finished and Scott pulled out his phone. He winced and looked at them.

“Erica had another attack.” He said.

“Go.” Melissa said. “I’ll do the dishes tonight.”

He smiled. “Thanks mom.”

“Go mijo. Your sister needs you.”

Scott nodded and he and Isaac ran out. She heard the car start and drive away and she just sat there, wondering why everything had to turn so bad after being good for so long. Although that’s a good lesson to learn. Be happy while you can, because eventually you will be sad again.

**

The pack was done with dinner and now they were all in the living room, in comfortable silence, in a puppy pile on the floor. Sam was in the center with Stiles and Joe on either side with Seth and Allison behind Joe and Chandra and Zach behind Stiles. The Sheriff was on the couch behind them all, trying to find something on TV to watch.

“There’s nothing on.” Stiles complained.

“So stick a DVD in you idiot.” John said, lightly kicking his son.

“Zach go put a movie in.” Stiles ordered.

The boy rolled his eyes but let go of Chandra and got up to put something in. “What am I putting in?”

“Whatever.” Sam said. “You know what we like and don’t like.”

He nodded and grabbed one and showed it to them. “This good?”

Stiles whooped and Sam laughed.

“It’s fine Zach. Put it in.”

**

Scott and Isaac pulled up at the pack house and got out, hurrying towards the door. Derek opened it before they got there, looking pale and worried.

“It’s a bad one.” He whispered. “The others are on their way.”

Scott nodded and pushed past, going straight into the living room where he could hear Erica and Boyd’s hearts beating. Isaac stopped in front of Derek though and took him in. He hadn’t really looked at his alpha in a while but now he did and he could see Derek was hurting just as much as them. Maybe even more. After all, they were just missing a pack mate, Derek was missing his _mate_. Isaac and Derek stared at each other for a moment before Isaac pulled him into a quick hug before running after Scott. Derek was shocked for a moment as a pack mate’s touch eased his pain, but as soon as the contact was gone the pain came flooding back. He blinked a few times and then hurried after his pack, knowing Erica needed him.

**

“So have you made a decision?” Sam asked, glancing away from the road to look at Stiles. “Or are you taking the weekend to figure it out?”

Stiles shook his head. “I’ve decided.”

“And?”

“And I think I want to see them.” Stiles said.

“You’ve forgiven them?”

He hesitated. “I don’t know. I think I’m willing to give them a chance though. It doesn’t hurt to think about them anymore. I still don’t know how I feel, but I think this is what I need to do.”

Sam smiled. “That’s good. That’s really good. It’s your choice Stiles. Only you can make it.”

Stiles nodded. “I know. And this is what I want.”

“Alright. Do you know what you want to do?”

“Can we go to a training session? Seth said they were interested in seeing your magic and I’d be more comfortable not in public at first.”

“I’ll give Derek a call in the morning and see about going out there tomorrow afternoon, alright with you?”

Stiles nodded, taking slow breaths as if to ready himself for a leap of faith. “I’m ready to see them again. I’m ready to try.”

**

Erica came out of the nightmare slowly. She was timid and weak and terrified but she was slowly relaxing from being surrounded by pack. But she couldn’t fully relax as there was still a hole, even with them all there. She needed Stiles next to her, hugging her like only he could, making her feel safe like only he could, but he wasn’t there. He was never there.

“We need him back.” She whispered.

“I know.” Derek said, knowing what she was saying. “But it’s his decision.”

“Just call them.” Lydia begged. “Just call Sam and explain to her that we need him. Beg her if you have to. Just get him back. We don’t need him to be part of this pack again we just need him around.”

“Seeing him every day and not talking to him or touching him is torture.”  Scott admitted quietly.

“I keep smelling his scent and getting happy but then I remember that he’s not with us anymore and I’m sad all over again.” Isaac murmured. “It’s maddening.”

Derek sighed, looking at his pack. He locked eyes with his uncle and they communicated silently. Peter would support him either way, but he wanted Stiles back just as much as the teens did.

Derek sighed. “I’ll call Sam in the morning and see what I can do. But this is his decision to make and we have to respect it.”

They all smiled slightly, knowing Derek would do his best, but Derek couldn’t even manage a forced smile. He didn’t want to get their hopes up because he figured he already knew the answer. Sam had made it perfectly clear she didn’t want him or anyone else from this pack around Stiles. And it’s doubtful she’s had a change of heart. Derek has seen Druid’s before and knows how protective they are. Sam said she was Stiles’s teacher and that is a special bond among the Druids. One of the strongest. The trust and love between a teacher and a student is an unbreakable bond. She’d probably kill anyone who hurt him. Derek knows she’d kill him for sure. But he has to try, right?


	10. Training Together

“Jim’s whore house. You got the dough, we got the hoe. How may I help you?” Sam said, picking up her phone without looking at the ID.

“What?” Came a confused voice.

Sam laughed, recognizing the voice. “Hey Derek.”

“That was a strange greeting.”

“I pick up weird when I don’t look at caller ID.”

“You’re strange.”

“Why’d you call me?”

“The pack has asked me to beg you to beg Stiles to at least talk to them. Let them have contact. Not having him around is causing them actual pain. Erica has nightmares she can’t pull out of and Lydia’s been unable to sleep a full night for months. Him being gone has affected them a lot and I’m begging you to beg Stiles to let them back in.”

Sam laughed.

“Why is this funny?” Derek sounded annoyed but like he knew he shouldn’t anger her.

“Are you away from your pack?”

“Yes. I didn’t want them around in case you rejected it.”

“Good. Because I was about to call you to ask if I could bring my pack to your afternoon training session today.”

Derek was silent on the other end and Sam could practically _hear_ his shock. “What?”

Sam laughed again. “Is that a yes?”

“You changed Stiles’s mind.”

“Stiles changed his own mind. I gave him the choice and he made it himself. He’s giving you guys one more chance. So I’m guessing that’s a yes.”

“Definitely.” Derek said, sounding relieved. “Definitely. Oh god the pack’s going to actually _smile_ when they hear about this.”

“Don’t tell them.”

“What? Why not?”

“Because I want Stiles to see their first reaction when they see him. He needs to see that.”

“Alright, but I want something in return.”

“What’s that?”

“You’re coming to our training session. I want my pack to come to yours. They need to see different pack dynamics and yours seem very different.”

“Fine with me. My pack loves visitors. You tend to be raised that way where were from.”

“And where’s that?”

“A huge ranch in the Midwest.” Sam answered. “It’s run by Allison’s mother’s brother and his wife. Aunt May is a Spark like Stiles and Uncle Boris was bitten. Victoria shunned them after joining the Argents and the rest of her family did so because of their choices. They run that place and the huge pack that rules it.”

“What’s that big pack like?” Derek asked, sounding genuinely curious.

“We’re a rag tag bunch of pretty much every kind of humanoid supernatural creature. And we’re family. Omegas and runaways are always welcome there to get back on their feet and leave or stay as part of the pack. If you have a human mate you’re welcome and so are they. Everyone is. Allison was invited to stay for the summer and train but when Aunt May heard what happened to Stiles she latched onto him and told Allison to bring him as well. He fit right in with us and I became fast friends with him. That’s why we’re here.”

“I’d love to talk to you more about your dynamics and the relationships.”

“Sure thing.” Sam said, smiling. “If our packs are going to work together and train together then you should get to know these things. Come to our house on Sunday and you can experience our training styles.”

“Thank you Sam. For all of this.”

She smiled. “You’re welcome Derek.”

“Wait.” He said as she went to hang up.

She put the phone back to her ear. “Yes?”

“Why do you and your pack hate me so much?”

She laughed. “I don’t. None of us do. We know you didn’t hurt him and I told them all about the mate thing, so no, we definitely don’t hate you. We never did. We just don’t like the fact that you didn’t notice his pain. You didn’t hurt him like they did, but he still cared about you, even though you were and still are an ass sometimes. He cared about his pack and they hurt him. You lead that pack and you didn’t notice. This isn’t hate Derek. This is disappointment. If I hated you, you’d be dead.”

**

Stiles was bouncing in his seat at lunch in the diner, excited to go see the pack.

“Would you stop that?” Chandra snapped, sending him a glare. “We’re getting weird looks.”

“Chandra we are a group of high schoolers who in the entire month and a half we’ve been here have never been seen with an adult or guardian because we don’t have one.” Sam said. “We’re going to get weird looks.”

Chandra shrugged, accepting the point, before digging back into her food.

“Sorry I’m just really nervous and excited about this.”

“We know.” Joe said, patting Stiles’s shoulder. “Just, uh, calm down a bit.”

Stiles nodded happily and dug into his food, trying to get done faster so they could get to the Hale house faster.

By the time everyone else was done he was bouncing again.

“Come on then.” Sam said. “You and Allison’ll have to ride me. We can’t drive out because they’ll hear us. I can use the forest to block our scents and sounds so we can surprise them better.”

“I can’t believe Derek agreed to this.” Joe said.

“What form are you taking?” Stiles asked.

“I don’t know. What do you think would be best for you?”

“I like riding the big wolf.”

Sam snorted at the thinly veiled bestiality innuendo she was unsure if he meant or not but chose to ignore either way. “Alright. Let’s get going.”

**

Derek was watching his pack when he felt the other pack’s presence. He knew she’d be shielding them from the others so he just smirked and raised his voice a bit to say “Everyone stop.”

They all froze and looked at him.

“What’s going on?” Scott asked.

Derek didn’t answer, just watched the forest. They all looked confused but turned towards the forest as people stepped out.

Stiles was in the front, right in the middle, on a huge wolf. It was golden brown, with black paws and muzzle, and had glowing silver eyes. On one side of him were Chandra and Zach while Joe and Seth were on the other. Allison was on the wolf behind Stiles.

The pack was frozen with shock. Derek could hear their hearts skip a beat at the sight of Stiles.

The wolf bent its leg and let the humans off before rearing back, shrinking, and turning into Sam. The silver in her eyes faded away and she looked at Derek.

“You asked. I presented.” She said, smirking at Derek. Derek nodded in return.

“So am I gonna get hugged or not?” Stiles asked, his voice barely cracking. He was proud of himself for that. “Because I kind of want hugs.”

The pack jumped into action, tackling their human to the ground.

Sam laughed and led her pack past them, towards Derek. “Do you need introductions?”

Derek shook his head. He knew their voices and he’d only met Sam, Joe, and Seth, but there was only a girl and boy left so he figured they were Chandra and Zach.

“Thank you for coming.” Derek said, glancing at his pack, happily rubbing against Stiles. “They needed it.”

“We both know it wasn’t just them that needed it.”

“You’re right. Peter needed it to.”

Sam snorted. “Where is your uncle anyways?”

“In town getting groceries. He’ll be back any minute though. So this’ll be a nice surprise for him.”

“Can someone get this pack off of me?” Stiles groaned. “They’re heavy.”

“Let them have their greeting Stiles.” Sam said fondly. “They obviously missed you.”

Stiles groaned. “That doesn’t mean elbows need to be in my nuts.”

Sam sighed and glanced at Derek, who nodded.

Derek let out a sharp whistle and they all jumped off him.

“Don’t let us interrupt your training.” Stiles said, getting up, rubbing a few scratches he had now, and smiled at Derek as he walked over to sit by Sam on the porch steps. “We can entertain ourselves.”

“Joe, Seth, Chandra, Zach you will be participating. Learn their fighting style and match it. Think of it as a test of how well you copy. Allison you can do whatever you want.”

Allison looked between her old pack and her new alpha. She thought for a moment and then walked over to Sam. “I stand with you Sam.”

Sam smiled and she nodded. “We’ll watch them and talk about our plans for tomorrow. I have some ideas.”

“Proszę powiedz, że planujesz to, co mam nadzieję, że planujesz.” Stiles whispered.

Sam smirked. “Knowing us, probably.”

A car pulled up the drive and Peter got out. He saw Sam and Allison and looked confused before spotting Stiles. He seemed to visibly relax and walked straight over to Stiles pulled him into a hug.

“You’re back.” He whispered.

Stiles smiled and hugged the man back. “Sorry.”

Peter pulled away, grinning. “For what?”

“Hurting you. I know you didn’t know.”

Peter smiled. “Thanks Stiles.”

Stiles grinned. “Now go beat up the others. I wanna watch.”

Peter grinned back, both of them with evil little glints in their eyes. “I can do that.”

And he did. Stiles cheered for Peter whenever he stepped up to fight and just ignored the fight if Peter wasn’t in it, instead playing with his magic. He let his eyes bleed red a bit and fire flared up in palms. Little men unfolded themselves from the flame and started dancing around on his palm as Allison watched in delight and Sam watched fondly. The pack just watched in amazement as the boy they pushed away showed the power and strength he gained when they did.

“Hey.” Sam whispered.

“Hm?” Stiles answered, still watching his fire men.

“Dance with me?” She asked, holding out her own hand and sprouting fire men as well.

Stiles laughed and laced their fingers together, creating a bigger stage and his fire combined into one man as Sam’s turned into one girl who curtsied to Stiles’s man. Stiles made his man bow in return and then the two fire beings stepped forward and began to waltz around the surface of their hands. The two watched happily and Allison reached out to touch them, the fire swirling around her fingers.

“Doesn’t that hurt?” Scott asked, watching them.

They looked over.

“We’d never let our magic hurt Allison.” Sam said.

“Never in a millions years.” Stiles added.

**

Joe came into the kitchen the next morning groaning.

“What’s wrong?” Sam asked, looking up from her cereal.

“I hate Derek. I love you.” He declared, hugging Sam from behind.

“Glad to know I won’t be losing you to another Alpha.” She said, rolling her eyes and going back to her food. Joe just kissed her head and stumbled out, probably to go take a long hot shower to help with his sore muscles.

Stiles skipped in happily and dumped his plate in the sink before skipping over to kiss Sam on the cheek.

“Well you’re sure happy.” She said, smiling.

“I don’t know why! I just feel great!” He said happily.

“That’s the bond reforging itself. You’re feeling their happiness at you giving them another chance.”

He froze, looking scared. “But-but I’m a part of this pack. Right?”

She nodded. “You can be both darling. It’s alright. We could use a connection between the packs.”

Stiles grinned again. “Thanks sis.” He said, hugging her tightly before skipping out.

Sam just sighed. This is her family, but all she wants is time for one meal in peace. Is that really so much to ask?

**

When Derek and the Hale pack pulled up to the house they were greeted by blaring music. They walked around the house to find the other pack in the huge backyard, singing and dancing. Well Sam and Stiles were dancing. The others were lying on the ground in a puppy pile, laughing at their pack mates stupid dancing. Derek recognized the song as something Erica listens to a lot, meaning she likes the song. It finished with a bass note and then they looked at them.

“Well join in whenever!” Sam said happily before spinning around, grabbing Zach, and pulling him to his feet to dance with her as the next song started.

“What is this?” Derek asked as his pack cautiously went over by the other one.

“Pack bonding!” Allison said happily. “We always take time to do it!”

“You want to experience Sam in her fullness, join in.” Seth said smiling. “Trust me. Dancing with her is a hell of a workout.”

“I agree with that.” Stiles said, slumping down next to Allison and grabbing a water bottle. “She’s exhausting.”

“Try keeping up with her in bed.” Joseph said. “It’s awful.”

“I’d rather not fuck my sister.” Zach said. “Thanks for the offer though bro.”

“No you’d rather fuck mine.” Joe shot back.

All of them laughed at that but Chandra laughed the hardest. Derek’s pack just looked uncomfortable.

Derek ignored them and went over by Sam. “Sam?” He asked. “Can we talk?”

“Sure thing.” Sam said. She spun Zach away from her and he gracefully fell back into the pack pile she’d dragged him from. Sam waved her hands, her eyes flashing a white so light it was almost blue, and she looked at him. “They can’t hear us. What’s up?”

“What is this?” Derek asked. “Is this how you train?”

She smiled. “I don’t train them like you train them. I don’t make them fight each other because there are so many types of power among us. When we fight we fight as a real wolf pack would. Together. Our strengths covering for each other’s weaknesses. So we train like that. This makes us aware of each other’s movements so we don’t crash together in a battle. I’ve made each of them stand still while Allison shot arrows at them to prove their trust for her. We’ve all bared our throats to the wolves and our shapeshifter on the full moon to prove our trust of their control. I may be the alpha of this small group but we work as a team. And to do that you have to trust each other. We have to many different powers to train as you do, so this is how we deal.”

Derek nodded. “That makes sense for your group. Not so much for mine.”

“Your group needs to perfect their control. Try meditation. That’s what worked for Seth and Joe.”

“I might have to resort to that.” Derek admitted.

Sam laughed. “Come on. They’ll worry if they realize they can’t hear us. And tell your pack to loosen up and dance with us. We don’t bite…hard.” With a smirk on her face Sam waved her hand again and walked back over to them.

“Up.” She ordered.

Everyone stood, Derek’s pack quickly and her coven slowly, stretching their muscles.

“Dance together.” She ordered. “Get comfortable with each other. And no grinding!” She said, glaring at Seth and Allison, who just grinned back.

Her coven grabbed Derek’s as the song changed again and they pulled them into a weird, almost dance.

Sam sat on the stairs. Derek came and sat next to her. “Can you do the thing again?” He muttered, low so only she could hear.

She nodded and flicked her wrist, eyes flashing the same color as usual. “I changed it. They hear heartbeats and breathing but they won’t hear our words. It will look like we aren’t talking although I assume that’s what you want to do.”

“So how was it decided to be you guys that came back with Stiles?” Derek asked. “You said there were dozens, why you five?”

Sam smiled. “About a week into Stiles’s stay I was the only one he’d talk to besides Allison, and at that point it was only when I was a wolf. But he soon opened up and talked a lot to me, no matter what form I took. Within a month we’d determined I’d be leaving with him and Allison. That’s when I started getting this house built for us. The others were definitely coming with us so he started getting to know them as well.”

“How so?”

“Joe’s my…well the Druid equivalent of a mate. He’s my everything and my anchor. We promised we were never leaving each other’s side. So he was obviously coming. Seth and Allison had hit it off quickly and they’d claimed each other by then, although they still aren’t bound and probably won’t be for a bit. They get along fine as just claimed. So he was coming with as well. Stiles was my summer student but I’ve been Chandra’s teacher since last year. So her coming was sort of required to stay with her teacher. And Zach is her mate so he came with that as well. We’re all here for a reason. And we’re all pretty close.”

“I could see that.”

Sam laughed, watching her cubs grab Derek’s pups and move their hips for them. “You made the observation day one that we love each other.” She said. “And that’s true. There isn’t a single person living in this house that wouldn’t die for someone else. All of us have gone through shit in our lives. We’ve all felt alone at some point. We’re each other’s anchors. We’re anchored to our pack and our hearts. We make each other feel whole again after we were ripped apart by shitty people in our lives. And while looking at each other we’re sometimes reminded of it all, it’s good to have people around who understand. It’s good to talk.”

“Is this your subtle way of telling me I need to show more emotion?” Derek asked, watching Stiles and Allison swing their hips in time with the music, holding himself back from jumping Stiles then and there.

“Stiles asked me to.” Sam explained. “He was worried because you seemed more broody than usual yesterday. According to him.”

Derek snorted. “That’s Stiles for you.”

There was silence for a moment before Derek asked the question that had been weighing heavily on his mind.

“Why do you trust me enough to tell me all this?”

“Because you’re pure at heart and I can see that. I trust you because I know it’s the right thing to do. My magic accepts your wolf with ease as does your wolf to my magic. It’s easy to work with you but will be easier if you trust me to. So talking. It builds trust not even battle can create.”

Derek nodded, thinking it over. “I guess I see why you were so mad at me with the earth giant. They’re all you have and I endangered them.”

Sam nodded. “I lost a lot to giants a long time ago so the thought of Joe and Seth being lost to one as well was a bit…well absolutely terrifying. I couldn’t take the thought so I snapped at you.”

“That’s the only reason you hate me, isn’t it? Because I endanger the people you love.”

“I don’t hate you Derek. I’ve told you that. But I don’t like my family to be in danger and you’re dangerous. You’re an Alpha and a young one and you haven’t even realized all the things you can do yet. And when you do, you’ll be safer, but until then you’re like a sealed package of C4. Safe, unless prodded too much.”

Derek nodded in understanding. He was finally beginning to see things as Sam sees them. She and her coven doesn’t hate him, only his pack. But he is the Alpha and it is his job to protect all members of his pack, even from other members. And he failed that job. He let his own pack hurt his mate. They were right to be disappointed in him. He risked not only his pack’s lives that night with the giant but he also risked Sam, Joe, and Seth’s as well. Because he couldn’t access the threat. He was a failure.

Sam smiled kindly, seeing his thought process leading him to darkness. “Come on. I think you need to dance.”

He pulled away and shook his head. “Nuh-uh. I don’t dance. I _can’t_ dance.”

“That’s what Stiles said before I got to him.” Sam said, winking. “And now he’s sexy in the clubs. Let’s go. Besides, you can’t be worse than Scott.”

Derek looked at his beta, threatening to poke someone’s eye out with his flailing limbs and sighed. “I’m not winning this argument, am I?”

“Nope.” Sam said, popping the p.

He sighed again. “Fine. Let’s go. But no one films it and no one laughs.”

“Deal.” Sam said. Now if only Derek knew that she crossed her fingers behind her back and Stiles was planning on doing just that.

“Sam!” Erica said.

“Yes blondie?” She shot back.

“Can we see your magic yet?”

She smiled and shook her head. “Not yet honey. The time will come.” She said, winking. “Don’t worry.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Proszę powiedz, że planujesz to, co mam nadzieję, że planujesz. - Please tell me you're planning what I hope you are planning


	11. Coming Together

Derek showed up at the house Monday evening. Sam met him in the backyard.

“What do you want Derek?”

“Where are the others?” He gasped out. He was pale, sweaty, shivering, and swaying slightly. If he was human Sam would say he was sick but he’s a wolf and can’t get sick so she had no idea what was wrong.

“Stiles and Allison are on their weekly ‘Mondays suck but we’re awesome’ evening together so Seth’s probably following them around and Joe’s stalking Zach and Chandra’s date night to make sure they stay safe. He's over-protective like that. Just me here.”

Derek seemed to relax and fell to his knees.

Sam moved to his side, worried about him. “Are you alright?”

“Just needed to be near Stiles’s scent.” He whispered.

“You had a panic attack in the forest, didn’t you?”

Derek looked up at her, shocked that she’d gotten it so quickly.“How-?”

“Like I said, we’ve all bad pasts. We all get them sometimes. Including Seth and Joe. And when we’re out in the forest they tend to lose control of their wolves. Head towards what makes them feel safe. What makes them feel at home.”

Derek nodded. “Mate.” He whispered.

Sam chuckled. “Yea Joe tends to find me and Seth goes to Allison. Before Allison he ran to me as I used to be his anchor. It’s a bit weird when you get tackled by a fully wolfed out boy in the midst of a panic attack but we make it work. We make a lot of things work for us.”

Derek groaned, his claws digging into his legs.

“Stay right here.” Sam said, getting up. Derek whined, not wanting to be alone. “I’ll be right back.” She assured him.

She ran inside and went up to Stiles’s room. She grabbed an old sweatshirt that wouldn’t be missed and ran back outside. She shoved the sweatshirt under Derek’s nose and grabbed his shoulder.

“Remember this smell.” She muttered. “Think of the sound of his heartbeat. The slow, steady beat when he sleeps. The calm, awake beat when he’s bored in class. The faster beat that means he’s interested in the class. The nervous uptick it gives when he lies. The fast beat when he plays lacrosse. The sporadic beat when you scare him. The fast, terrified beat it has when he runs. The happy uptick he gives when he sees his dad or when he laughs. Think of his voice. Bored out of his mind in class. Sarcastic when he’s trying to blow something off. Happy when he’s talking to Scott. Excited about something new. Think of his laugh. Nervous around his father or teachers. Joyful when someone tells a joke. Tense when he’s worried about something. Think of what makes him who he is. The nervous way he fidgets. The sarcasm that drips off of him. The flail he’ll do if you spook him. The way he trusts completely and utterly without fail. The love he has for his dad and his dedication to his health. The way he always undermines himself even though all of us can see how amazing he is. Think of Stiles.” By the time she finished talking she’d gone from standing him front of him thrusting a sweatshirt in his face to kneeling on the grass, holding him in her arms while he cried into the sweatshirt.

Derek nodded shakily and the tremors subsided. Then he looked up and at her. “How did you know that would work?”

“It’s how we calm the wolves down when the person they crave isn’t there.” Sam explained.

Derek nodded, thinking about Stiles.

“Thank you.” He whispered after a long time.

Sam smiled. “Stiles accepted you back. He still hasn’t forgiven you, and he’s still kinda mad at your pack, but he isn’t mad at you anymore. And that means I’m not either. He’s my brother and one of the best friends I’ve ever had. He doesn’t try to make me talk when I don’t want to. He just fills the silence himself. I had a panic attack around him when we were still at the ranch and he calmed me down easily. He knew exactly what to do to help me. Most people I have an attack around try to make me talk about what triggered it. But they don’t understand that most people don’t want to talk about what triggered them. Otherwise they get triggered again. I’m like that. I don’t know if you are but you don’t have to talk to me if you don’t want to.”

Derek smiled slightly and nodded silently.

Sam smiled back and hugged him, shifting to get comfortable. They both knew they weren’t moving for a while. And they didn’t. Just sat in silence on the grass, letting the day turn to night around them.

Eventually Sam asked the question she’d been thinking about for a while. “Derek? Why Stiles?”

“What?” He asked.

“You and I both know that it’s not that bullshit in the media. It isn’t you see them and you love them kind of mate. It’s not something you have no choice in. It’s when you and your wolf both love someone so fully and completely that you claim them as your mate. It’s a choice. So what made you choose Stiles?”

He shrugged. “I don’t know. Everything. I love his laugh and his smile and the way he makes people happy just by being himself. He held me above the water in a pool for two hours and I don’t even think I could do that. He was just always there. No matter what. No matter how dangerous. He was always there. Keeping Scott safe. Keeping the pack safe. When we were attacked by the kanima in the pool, that was when I realized it.”

“Stiles told me about that.” Sam whispered.

“He came back for me. I gave him the time to run and yet he stayed behind to help me. He held me up for two hours in that pool while I couldn’t move. I told him I didn’t trust him but the truth was I trusted him too much. I could feel myself relaxing. And I knew then that I loved him. But he wasn’t my mate yet. When the Alpha pack came after us, after me, he was there. He saved us all and didn’t even think about protecting himself. He saved Peter even though he’d never liked Peter and even when everyone was telling him was worthless and not in the pack he continued to protect us. Even now he’s protecting us. I love him for all the things you said earlier when you were calming me down. I love him and I didn’t even realize it when I claimed him. It just seemed right.”

Sam smiled, resting her head on his. “That’s how it was with Joe. We both went through shit as kids, I almost killed him once, but one day at the ranch after things were good he just smiled at me and I knew then and there that he was who I wanted to spend the rest of my life with.”

“You and him look great together. You don’t show it much but it’s obvious how much you love each other.”

“He’s the only guy I ever want to be with. I chose him and he chose me. That’s why you need to tell him. He has to know and he has to choose. You know that as well as I.”

Derek nodded. “I know. Trust me I know.”

They fell into silence again, each deep in their own thoughts.

Sam was thinking of Joseph and the day they’d claimed each other. It wasn’t a big romantic gesture in any way. They just sat down together and talked it out. And they decided that they were going to do it. They told May and she’d hugged them both, ecstatic that her two newest and most broken cubs were finally healing. They’d vanished into the forest and Sam had shifted into a wolf to spend time together and bond. They spent days in the forest, never coming out. Nothing could make them leave the forest or each other. When they finally came back out, almost a week later, May and Boris threw a huge party to celebrate. There was dancing, and singing, and shifting, and howling and so much eating but everyone had so much fun. It spanned three days and by the end, everyone was exhausted, but elated. They bound together the next full moon. When Sam saw Joseph in the light of the full moon, purely human and covered in the symbols of magic May herself placed on him, her heart leaped. And as she spoke the words of the vows that would bind them together as mates and allow her magic to affect him more than anyone else’s, she knew what was happening. He was placing complete trust in her and her in him. As she listened to him say the words that would bind her magic and his wolf, she knew that she never wanted to lose him. Ever. And she didn’t. They hadn’t left each other’s sides since. And they never planned to. When Joe wanted to go to New York with a few other wolves, Sam went with. When Sam wanted to drive down to New Orleans for Mardi Gras and May agreed to take her, Joe went with. Where one went, the other followed. Sam couldn’t imagine a life without Joseph in it and she knew he felt the same. She was happy with what she had, even if it was a little tough sometimes.

Derek was thinking about Stiles and how he made him feel. He knew how much he cared for Stiles but he couldn’t think of words to say it, or even think it. He knew how much the boy held his pack together and how bad it got when he was gone. He watched Scott try to tear Jackson’s throat out the day they found out Stiles was gone. He watched all of them hate each other and blame each other for weeks afterwards, all not wanting to admit that it was their fault. But then he watched them forgive each other and start blaming themselves. Soon there were arguments over whose fault it was with each person trying to blame _themselves_ rather than each other. And then they were a pack. They acted, looked, smelled, and fought like a _pack_. They’d finally pulled together, something they hadn’t managed to do in over six months of working together. It took Stiles leaving for them to figure out that the bonds they felt were pack bonds and that they were a pack, through and through. And if Derek was ever forced to be honest with himself, he’d have to admit that he wished Stiles hadn’t left, even if it meant not being a pack. He wished that his mate hadn’t left but he wished even more that he’d realized how much pain Stiles was in. He hated himself and blamed himself for it just as much as the others. Because he loved Stiles, completely and utterly, and he never saw the pain the boy had been in. He never saw the tear streaks on his face. He never smelt the tears on his face and clothes. He never noticed the shadows in his eyes. He never noticed the hitch in his body movement when Jackson got near him. He never noticed the pain Stiles was in and he hated himself for it. But he was beginning to get better. He was beginning to forgive himself as he watched Stiles be happy with others. He was healing as he watched Stiles heal.

Derek finally pulled away with a smile and a wince from stiff muscles. “Thank you.” He whispered again.

“Anytime Derek.” Sam said honestly. “Anytime at all. And keep the sweatshirt, he won’t notice it’s gone.”

 

Things changed after that. The two separate groups, the pack and the coven, starting coming together. They pushed two tables in the lunch room together and ate as a giant group. They high-fived or smiled and waved at each other when they passed in the hall. By the end of the week Lydia was already coordinating dress and tie colors for the Winter Formal so none of them clashed. Everyone at school gave them weird looks for a few days and then it went back to normal. Everything was great. That weekend was spent like the last. Saturday was spent at the Hale house working on strength and conditioning with everyone being run by Derek and Sunday at the coven’s house, dancing and training concentrated on more speed than strength under Sam’s guidance. (Sam had finally corrected them to call it a coven because it is led by a Druid not a wolf). Sam had finally got to meet Danny on the second Tuesday and they hit it off as friends pretty easy. Everything was good. Except for one minor detail. Giants. Every. Single. Night.

“Mother fucking giants!” Sam screamed, running through the woods. She saw Stiles up ahead and sped up. “Run Stiles!”

“I am!” He screamed back.

“Not fast enough!” She said, catching up.

“Well I’m a fucking human! This is as fast as we run!”

She growled and sped up, grabbing his wrist and using magic to propel him into the air.

“Whoa! Holy shit I’m in the air!”

“Shut up and take a deep breath.” Sam ordered, spotting Derek up ahead, running away as well. “Derek!” She screamed. “Catch him!” She spun herself around, launching Stiles towards Derek. Derek grabbed Stiles as he passed him, stopping him from running into a tree, and took off running with the airborne teen while Sam stopped and spun to face the enemy. She was covered in blood and there were scratches all over her, but she wasn’t badly injured. Unlike Seth who Allison, Chandra, and Zach had all had to help get away from the fight. Now everyone was fleeing back towards the Hale house. Except Sam. She knew what she had to do.

She stood her ground, head held high, when the giants stormed into the clearing. There was a pair of earth giants, another that looked like swirling water, bits of dirt and twigs swirling inside it, and a fourth that looked made of dust but she knew that if it wasn’t on the ground, it’d be clear as it was air. She knew each and everyone one of them could tear her to sheds if they wanted to and she wouldn’t be able to stop them as she can only channel one element at a time. But she faced them without fear.

“You have been a bad girl Samella.” A voice said, echoing in the trees.

Sam growled. “I have protected my people and served my oath.”

“You abandoned your family.”

“You were not my family.” She snarled, her anger rising. “They are.”

“Maybe. But’s it’s really too bad that you said that. Now that family is going to die.”

There was a pain filled howl and Sam’s head shot towards it, recognizing it. Joseph. “No.” She whispered. She spun back towards the voice, frantic.“Leave him alone!”

“Then make peace. Give me what I want and end this.” The voice snarled. “Or we kill him first. Or maybe last. So you can watch him fall apart as his friends die.”

The giants turned and walked away but Sam didn’t care. Joseph was hurt. She shifted into a bird and took off towards the howl. She dove into the clearing the Hale house occupied and shifted mid dive, tumbling to the ground and landing next to Joe’s body. He wasn’t bleeding but for a few spots where he’d been scratched but he was pale white and his eyes were closed. He was shaking slightly and when Sam touched him he was ice cold.

“Jo-Jo.” She whispered, grabbing his shoulder. “Joe. Joseph!” He started warming up again at her touch and his face gained a bit of color back.

“He’s alive Sam.” Derek whispered.

“I know damn well he’s alive!” She snarled, standing and rounding on him. “I am very well aware of him being alive! If he wasn’t alive you wouldn’t be either because I would’ve slit your throat for endangering him!” With that she spun back around, kneeling back down next to Joseph.

“This is her mate man.” Zach whispered, coming up to Derek and pushing him back slightly. “Leave it be. This is for us to deal with.” He turned back and joined the coven around Joe’s body.

Stiles pushed his way out of Scott and Isaac’s grip, they’d taken him after they got back to the clearing, and joined his coven, covering Sam with his own body, hugging her tightly. The sound of wrecked sobs tore their way from all of them as they gathered around Joseph, pushing all their magic and healing powers towards him.

There was movement behind Derek and he turned to see Lydia pulling away from Jackson and walking towards them.

“I don’t have any powers.” She whispered in answer to his questioning look. “But I can still comfort.” With that said she joined the coven, nosing in next to Allison and joining in the comforting. Scott was next, joining next to Stiles and Isaac was quick to follow Scott. Soon enough everyone was wrapped around the coven except Derek and Peter.

“Get in there.” Peter whispered.

Derek looked at him. “What about you?”

“Not really in the mood for physical contact.”

Derek nodded, understanding the feeling, before looking back at the giant group and making his decision. He walked right over and joined, hugging Erica and Boyd to him.

Erica flashed him a smile and burrowed into his shoulder, shaking from the adrenaline draining from her. Boyd just gave him a smile but Derek felt the tension drain from him as well. And he realized what was happening. This wasn’t one pack helping to comfort another. This is one pack comforting two different parts of it. The magic side with its tactics and knowledge being comforted by the brawny, strong side with the fighting style to carry out the tactics. This was two parts of one pack joining together and becoming whole. This was a pack coming together as one. He heard a soft gasp and knew Sam was realizing the same. And he smiled. Things are good. He feels perfect and whole again for the first time since Stiles left. Now if only he could make Stiles forgive him enough to give him a chance. But for now, feeling him in his mind again was enough, even if it was weak. Feeling his pack was enough.

 

Sam was in shock as she felt everything shift into place. She’d always been able to sense her coven. Joe, Stiles, and Chandra were the strongest in her mind because they were her mate and her students. Zach, Allison, and Seth were only a little weaker, but they were still strong presences in her mind. But Derek’s pack, they’d never been there. Not even an inkling of them had slipped into her mind. But now, as they all comforted each other, she felt them. They were all in her mind. She could feel each and every one of them as strong as she could feel her own coven. She felt the bond between Scott and Isaac, the shared pain that helped it form and made it unbreakable, and their strong and loyal love. She could feel the bond between Lydia and Jackson, forged at first with fake love and the want to be popular and stay popular, but it was strengthened over time in pain and love, now made unbreakable with loyalty to each other and complete love and trust. She could feel Erica and Boyd, brought together physically by Derek and his teeth but brought together emotionally by Derek’s strange way of training them and their desire to just have a family in the pack. She could feel Danny, a single human not bound to any wolf by anything other than friendship but just as loyal as anyone else. She could even feel Peter, although he wasn’t part of the comfort hug, and the pain he’s had to live through. She felt the darkness the loss of his wife and kids left on his heart but there was also the loyalty to his nephew and his love for Stiles, who’d saved his life even when he was a bit creepy. But the most surprising of all was Derek. She could feel him bright and strong in her mind. And she could feel the bond he longed to have with her student. She could feel the pain and loss that Stiles caused when he left and for the first time she gasped at the pain she felt from someone in her mind. It was pure, raw pain and it felt like his wolf was tearing itself up for pushing him away. For hurting Stiles. Sam longed to reach out and hug Derek with all she had. She longed to get rid of that pain. But just like with the pack, it’s not her decision to make. It’s Stiles’s. It has always been Stiles’s decision to make. And it always will be. Just like she chose to mate with a wolf, Stiles must choose. And hopefully he doesn’t kill Derek with his choice.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Don't even think about getting comfortable yet.


	12. Falling Apart

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Meant to post this earlier but I'm forgetful. I had a lot of time today so expect another chapter soon most likely tonight even.

“So what’s with all the giants?” Stiles asked, poking Sam’s side. They were in a giant puppy pile in the middle of the Hale house living room with Joe at the center. Sam was right up next to him and Stiles was beside her.

She sighed. “Bad news.” She muttered.

“Tell us.” Derek said.

“Giants are violent creatures, as you’ve seen, but these giants are organized. We’ve seen dozens of them. There usually isn’t more than like four in an area, and never multiple types, meaning something is leading them. Something is bringing them here, gathering them, organizing them, using them against us. And obviously whoever it is wants us dead as they have only attacked us and not the town.”

“Who has the power to control that many giants?” Peter asked.

“Not many.” Sam said.

“You’re not telling us something.” Joe whispered. “How did I get hurt Sam? There was no one near me.”

Sam sighed and buried her face in Joe’s shoulder.

“Come on.” He murmured. “I need to know Sam.”

She nodded, taking deep, shaky breaths. Then she pulled out and looked down at Joe. “It’s Eli.” She whispered.

Joe froze. “No. It can’t be.”

She nodded, tears welling up in her eyes, before burying herself again. Joe wrapped his arms tightly around her, squeezing tightly like he was afraid she’d vanished.

“It can’t be him.” He whispered. “It can’t be.”

“Who’s Eli?” Derek asked.

“Give them a second.” Stiles said, knowing the story but unwilling to tell it as it isn’t his. Everyone was forced to wait for them to be ready. They all waited in silence, tense and impatient, but willing to wait as the two of them looked like they were about to shatter.

After a few minutes Sam pulled back again, but they stayed pressed together, needing contact.

“Joe and I grew up in bad places.” Sam whispered. “My parents died when I was six and I lived on the streets for four years before being caught and sent into foster care. Eli adopted me a year later. He saw my power and took me to ‘keep me safe’. All he really wanted was to use me. He trained me to use my powers and to access all types of magic. Then when I was thirteen I took an oath with him to protect the family. No matter what. I didn’t know what he meant by that back then. A week later he told me I had to kill a boy my age because he was a student of the enemy and must be eliminated. I told him that I wasn’t going to kill. He tied me up and beat me bloody. I was almost to the point of death when he stopped. I healed quickly, my magic sped it along, and then he told me again to kill the boy. I told him I would and he handed me a knife and told me not to come back until it was done. He reminded me of the oath and told me this was to protect the family. I went to the boy’s house, snuck in his window, and prepared to stab him. Then he rolled over and I saw his face. And I couldn’t do it.” She stopped and looked at Joe.

“My situation was just as bad but my past doesn’t matter for this story.” He said. “When I woke up and saw her standing over me with a knife I should’ve attacked or something. Instead I smiled and said hello. We talked that night, things were said, and by morning we were gone. We ran. And we never looked back.”

“Eli came after us. We were thirteen year olds with nowhere to go.” Sam continued. “Until we found the Ranch. Aunt May and Uncle Boris listened to our stories, all of it, and then welcomed us to stay. We decided to and settled. I thought Eli was dead because I felt the bond with him break. But when we were sixteen, he came for us at the ranch. With a coven. A big one. He attacked us, coming after me. I killed members of his coven and May told me she was pretty sure he was dead. She’d torn out his throat. But he wasn’t. He’s a Darach now.  Maybe he always was. But he’s after me. And he hurt Joe to make a point. He’s not afraid to kill to break me.”

“Can’t you just run?” Erica asked. “Like no offense I like you and all, but why can’t you just run and lead him away?”

Sam shook her head. “He knows what you all mean to me. He’d just kill you all and send me the videos.”

“So we fight.” Peter said.

“It’s the only option with the slightest chance of success.” Joe declared quietly. “Any other course of action ends with a definite painful death for every single person in this room as well as Danny.”

“How do we fight them?” Jackson asked. “They seem pretty strong if they have all these giants.”

“They are.” Sam said. “But we’ll be stronger.” She looked at Derek. “Permission to summon my pack here? The whole pack.”

Derek nodded. “We need help. Figure out cover stories and get them here. We need to train and you all still have school so we’ll need patrols from them during the day.”

“That will have to wait until tomorrow night.” Joe said. “Sam and I are going to spend the next twelve hours cuddling and watching Doctor Who because I almost died today.”

Sam rolled her eyes but curled up next to him again.

“You’re not leaving me.” Joe whispered.

“I know.” Sam answered. She pulled away and got to her feet, pulling him with her. “We’re going home.” She declared. “Everyone try not to die but howl if you are. We’ll see you all at school in the morning and don’t forget the Monday morning reading quiz in English class.” She and Joe ran from the room then.

“Are they going to fuck?” Isaac asked.

“Nope.” The other five from the coven answered.

“They can’t.” Allison added.

“What?” Scott asked. “Why not?”

“One rule of being a druid is no sex before marriage.” Chandra explained.

“But they’re both always making comments.” Erica asked, confused.

“Well yea.” Stiles said. “But there’s no rule against blow or hands.”

“I live off those.” Zach said, his voice distant.

The others laughed at him but he just shrugged.

“Hey I’m willing to wait till we’re married.” He said. “Anything for your mate, right?”

Everyone around the room nodded, knowing exactly what he meant, most of them knowing the feeling themselves. Derek was still. He knew what he meant but he didn’t want to admit it.

“Derek have you ever faced giants?” Boyd asked.

Derek shook his head. “They were just something my parents used to scare me with when I was a kid. I never thought they might be real.”

“We’re dead, aren’t we?” Jackson asked.

“Stop being a fucking pessimist Jackson.” Stiles snapped.

“Well someone has to be with your naïve sarcasm clouding everyone else’s mind.” Jackson snapped back automatically.

Everyone looked a little taken aback but Stiles didn’t seem to care.

“You know that’s part of what makes you a douche, right?” He asked, staring him down, steel in his eyes. “Your fucking attitude is awful. You don’t care about anything unless you have a reason to. You didn’t care about me until you realized that you do actually need me. I did everything for this pack. I made food for meetings. I made food for the morning after a full moon or a fight so you would have something to eat, even if it was a school day. I risked my life for you and you told me you didn’t think I deserved to be in the pack. Well guess what, you got your fucking wish. I’m not a part of this pack and I don’t want to be. I’m happy with Sam and the coven and I am damn happy I left when I did.” He stood up and looked at Allison. “Can you take me to my dad’s house? I don’t really want to be here with them anymore.”

She nodded and got up, Seth getting up with her. Zach and Chandra followed suit, unwilling to be left alone. The five of them left the house and drove away.

The pack was still for a moment before Scott clawed Jackson.

“What the hell?!” He screamed.

“I didn’t mean to make him leave!” Jackson shouted, holding his bleeding face, waiting for it to heal.

“You are a douche sometimes Jackson.” Lydia said.

Jackson looked at her. “Lydia!”

“You are!” She said.

Jackson groaned and got up to clean off the dried blood. “You all know how much I missed him so I’m not going to say it. I can’t help that I’m a douche sometimes but I just don’t know how to deal with him alright? I don’t know how to treat him.”

“Like you would treat me.” Derek said, his voice low and angry. “Like your alpha. He’s my mate and that puts him far above you so treat him like it. Learn to control yourself Jackson, or I’ll let Sam have her fun with you.”

Everyone was a little shocked. Derek hadn’t addressed the whole ‘choosing Stiles as his mate’ thing since Stiles left so they thought it’d been forgotten. Obviously not.

Jackson nodded, keeping his head bowed in submission. “Sorry Derek.” He whispered.

“Just go clean your face off.” Derek ordered. Now he just sounded done with everything and exhausted.

Everyone was subdued again, sad that Stiles was gone again. Derek got up and pushed past Jackson, going upstairs. He was exhausted and not ready to deal with any of this anymore. He just wanted things to go back to the way they were. Before they all fucked this up. Before things started falling apart again.


	13. Talk It Out

Sam and Joseph were curled up together on the couch the next day when Stiles stumbled inside.

“Stiles?” Sam asked, unfolding herself and going to meet him. “You should be in school darling.”

He shook his tear stained face. “Can’t. Tried. Please don’t make me.”

She smiled softly and took his hand. “Well come on then.” She led him into the living room and she curled back against Joe’s side and Stiles took her other side. Neither Sam nor Joe had to ask what was wrong. Chandra had told them that morning what Jackson had said and what Stiles did in response.

“I thought it was better.” Stiles whispered through gritted teeth. “And then Jackson talked and I just-I-I couldn’t.”

Sam nodded and pulled Stiles closer. “How are you feeling?”

“Like shit.”

Joe whimpered and reached over Sam’s shoulders to rub his head.

Stiles whimpered and pushed back against Joe’s hand. “I wanted things to be okay. I missed them.”

“I know you did sweetie.” Sam said, holding her coven brother tightly.

“What do I do?” Stiles whispered, begging for an answer.

“Stiles only you can decide that.”

Stiles whined.

Sam sighed and looked at Joe. “Babe?”

He smiled and nodded. He rubbed Stiles’s head one more time, kissed Sam on the temple, and left the house.

“Alright.” Sam said, shifting so she was against the arm and facing Stiles. “Talk to me boy.”

Stiles sighed and fell in to her, snuggling between her legs, his head on her chest. “I don’t want to hate them but every time Jackson’s an ass I _hear_ it all over again.”

“What do you hear?” She asked gently.

“I hear his voice saying all those insults from last year. I hear Scott’s silence and Isaac’s snickers and Lydia’s laughter and I just can’t take it.”

“What do you feel?”

Stiles took a deep breath, letting it out in a sigh before speaking. “I feel pissed. I want to forgive them, I really do, and I tried. I tried so hard to make it easy for all of us but I _can’t_. I get pissed and upset and I can’t think straight anymore.”

“Specific feelings for specific people.” Sam prodded, knowing that by saying all his feelings specifically and getting everything out in the open, it’ll help.

“I’m pissed at Jackson for being an ass and you wanna know something, he hasn’t apologized. Not one inkling of an apology has been directed at me. I don’t need some on the knees begging for forgiveness scene I just want him to say _something_. Ya know?”

Sam nodded, letting him continue.

“I’m mad at Isaac but he’s such a follower I can’t really blame him. He was nice to me away from the others but once they were there he was an ass. I’m annoyed at Lydia because I thought she was better than this. I thought she was smart enough to see how much they needed me and stop Jackson from trying to drive me away. Guess I was wrong there. Peter’s a great guy. He was creepy at first but he’s better. I’m not mad at him at all. He didn’t know and Allison said he was just as pissed as she was when he found out what they’d been doing. So I’ve never been mad at him.” He stopped and took a deep breath. “And Scott, well I love him to death he’s like a brother to me but he’s an idiot. Did he really think that not saying anything when Jackson said I wasn’t part of the pack would convince me I was? I just figured everyone else was letting him tell me because they didn’t want to hurt my feelings. I’m not pissed at him though. More disappointed than anything.”

“And Derek?” Sam prodded. “What about him?”

Stiles groaned, rubbing against her shoulder. “I don’t know Sam. I’m so confused with him.”

“Talk it out.” She advised.

He sighed. “Can you go wolf? It’s easier to figure things out that way.”

Sam nodded and he sat forward so she could slip off the couch. She shifted quickly into the golden brown wolf with black paws and muzzle and soft, kind brown eyes that Stiles played with at the ranch and looked at him.

Stiles smiled and moved to curl up on the floor with the over-sized wolf. “I was pissed at him.” He started. “I was really pissed at him that night. But then Allison told me how he didn’t know and that he’d ordered the pack to stay away from me and I began to forgive him. Then at the ranch with the other wolves I learned about mates and bonds and all that and began to think about him more. A lot more. And I guess I forgave him. I wasn’t mad at him anymore at least. Then we came back and things were shit. I was so happy to be home and have my dad and you guys and just the town in general but I was missing something. But it was alright. Now I’m pissed again and don’t know what I’m feeling. Although…”

The Sam-wolf nudged him with her muzzle and gave him a curious look.

He sighed. “I care about Derek. I have for a while. I thought it was just pack feelings bleeding through but I’m not part of that pack now and I still care about him. It’s strange and kind of freaking me out.”

The wolf nudged him again, this time giving a whine as well.

“I know Sam. Trust me I know damn well but I can’t forgive the pack. I know I can’t. You know it to.”

Sam nodded and made a rumbling sound.

“I know I know I know. I’m being stupid about this-”

The wolf cut him off with a yip and a shake of her head.

Stiles sighed. “Fine I’m not being stupid but this whole thing is stupid.”

The wolf nodded in agreement at that.

“I wish things could be the way they were but I also don’t want that because I love being this close to Allison and you guys are like one of the best things to happen to me and I can control my power now because of you guys but I miss the way things were. I miss the pack dinners. I miss having Scott there for me when I need him. I love you guys but you aren’t him. I miss the easy way we could all communicate. Now I can barely stand to be in the same room as them all for more than ten minutes without you and Allison there. I tried Sam. Fuck I tried so hard to be alright. I tried to let the pack in but it _hurts_. Every time I talk to one of them and they blatantly ignore the fact that I’m not part of their pack anymore, that _I_ left _them_ and not the other way around, it feels like I’m breaking all over again. I keep being reminded of why I left and the pain won’t go away.” His voice was breaking as he spoke with tears in his but he kept going. “I fucking hate this feeling. I feel broken and worthless and useless but more than anything I feel _guilty_. I did nothing wrong and yet I feel as if this is all _my_ fault! They’re the ones who pushed me away and let me seriously consider suicide!” Sam growled and Stiles was quick to rub her head and say, “No I’m not anymore. I’m fine now.” She was appeased but still upset at the thought of Stiles killing himself. “I’m just so fucking done with them Sam. I’ve forgiven Derek and Peter because they didn’t know but the others did. The others saw it! They were right there as Jackson insulted me and they did absolutely NOTHING!” Sam winced at his loud voice in her ears and he sighed, reaching out to rub them. “Sorry cana I’m just pissed. I thought I was okay. I thought for a week about it and I thought I was ready to give them another chance. And then I tried so fucking hard to keep it together, tried my hardest to make things alright again but fuck it I _couldn’t_. I couldn’t take the pain of being near them. When you or Allison are there it’s better, best if everyone is but last night I just snapped. I couldn’t take it anymore. I can’t do this. Not anymore.” The wolf rubbed against his hand, rumbling in her throat, trying to comfort him. “Shift back Sam.” Stiles sighed, wiping away the tears in his eyes and on his face, moving away from her side. “I need a human now.”

Sam shifted back easily and pulled Stiles to her. “Baby I’m so sorry.”

Stiles snuffed against her shoulder and held onto her tightly. His voice broke when he spoke. “I don’t know what to do.”

“I’ll tell Derek to have his pack leave you alone again.”

“But that’ll hurt them.”

“And they hurt you Stiles.” Sam said gently. “Remember that sometimes you just have to move on. Somehow you pick your head up and stare at something beautiful like the sky, or the ocean, and you move the hell on. Pain makes you strong, just like people who do you wrong. Let this pain make you stronger darling. At the risk of sounding cliché I’ll say it. What doesn’t kill will only make you stronger. Count rainbows, not thunderstorms. Midnight never lasts forever. The dark always turns to light. But without the night we’d never see the stars. Stiles you can and should let your smile change people, but don’t let people change your smile. It’s the greatest thing in the world for someone like me. Someone like Allison and Joe and Seth and Chandra and Zach and everyone back home at the ranch. It’s something I love to see, don’t let them take it away.”

Stiles looked up at her and smiled slightly at her word barf of encouragement.

“See?” She said smiling back. “That’s the brother I love.”

The door burst open and suddenly Allison was there. “Oh my god Stiles I thought something had happened. You just vanished from school.” She fell down next to them and Stiles pulled away from Sam to comfort her. She hugged him tightly.

“I’m alright.” He whispered. “Sam let me talk it out.”

“Good.” Allison said into his hair, rubbing his back. “But next time tell me when you’re leaving. I thought you’d been taken or something.”

“Sorry sissy.” Stiles apologized, his voice breaking a little.

“It’s alright. I was just worried.” Allison looked over Stiles’s shoulder at Sam. “Thank you.” She mouthed.

“Always.” Sam mouthed back, before looking up as Joe and Seth came in followed by Chandra and Zach. Everyone gathered around Stiles and got comfortable, pressed against each other.

“What are we doing now?” Chandra asked.

“We go back to square one.” Sam answered. “I’ll call Derek tonight and ask him to keep his pups away from us.”

“Sam?” Stiles said, is voice a little muffled by Allison’s shoulder.

“Yea?”

“Tell Derek that he and Peter are still welcome here. I don’t hate them. Haven’t for a long time.”

“Alright.” Sam said. “Derek and Peter can come but not the others.”

“What about the giants?” Zach asked. “How are we going to fight them?”

Sam sighed. “I called May this morning. She and a couple dozen others are coming in three days. They’d come sooner but she’s need for the moon in two days.”

“What’s the plan?” Allison asked.

“I’ll talk to Derek tomorrow and figure that out.”

“You still have to go to school darling.” Joe reminded her.

She sighed. “Fine. I’ll talk to him about after school tomorrow or possibly tonight if there’s time.”

“Sam?” Stiles said again.

“Yea?”

“Dziękuję siostro.”

“Dla mojej rodziny zrobię wszystko co w mojej mocy, wiesz o tym Stiles.”

“"Kowen jest zawsze z nami.” Joe said.

“Zawsze.” The coven answered.

“We’ll always be right beside you Stiles. No matter what.” Sam added.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> “Dziękuję siostro.” - "Thank you, Sister." 
> 
> “Dla mojej rodziny zrobię wszystko co w mojej mocy, wiesz o tym Stiles.” - "I'd do anything for my family Stiles. You know that. "
> 
> "Kowen jest zawsze z nami" - Coven is always with us
> 
> “Zawsze.” - "Always."
> 
> A huge, massive, enormous, thank you to [kapitanbmiu ](http://archiveofourown.org/users/kapitanbmiu/pseuds/kapitanbmiu) for correcting the mistakes in my Polish because it has been a mighty long time since I've spoken it, let alone had to write it, so massive thank you to her for helping me out there.


	14. Explanations

Derek’s phone was ringing and the pack knew who it was by the way he stiffened when he looked at it.

“Hello.” He answered, his voice strained.

“Get away from your pack.” Sam’s voice said through the phone. It held no emotion. “Now.”

Derek nodded and got to his feet, leaving the house and running out into the forest, far enough that the pack couldn’t hear. “What’s the damage?” He asked, nervous about actually hearing the answer.

“He wants you to tell them to stay away from him and us.” She answered, she sounded like she was trying to be calm but was finding it difficult.

Derek’s throat was closing and he found himself nodding despite the fact that she couldn’t see him. “What else?”

“You and Peter are allowed.” She said.

His throat opened wide and he gasped. “What?”

“He’s not mad at either of you. You being around doesn’t hurt him. Look I can tell you everything tomorrow but right now I need to be at his side so let’s make it quick.”

“What are we going to do about the giants?”

“My alpha is coming out with two dozen of our pack, a dozen witches and a dozen wolves. They will be here in three days. She’d come sooner but she’s needed there for the moon. During the moon you and your pack may run but five square miles around my house is needed for my wolves. They didn’t get to run for fun on the last moon and they need it. Can you do that?”

Derek found himself nodding again before finding his voice. “Yea I can do that.”

“Good. We can discuss tactics later but right now I just need you to keep your pack away from Stiles. He’s in a lot of pain because of them. Can you manage that young alpha?”

“You know fair well I’d do anything to help him.” Derek growled.

“I know. I just need to hear it Derek. I need to know that you’re not going to let your pack make him come home from school crying and begging me not to make him go back there like he did today. Can you manage that?”

Derek’s throat was closing again when she described Stiles. “Yes.” He choked out. “I can do it. For him. They’ll stay away.”

“Good. Now go tell them. I need to go back to Stiles now.”

“Thank you.” Derek said.

“Of course. Come by tomorrow after school and we can talk some more. Allison is taking Stiles out and Chan and Zach are going to a movie so it’ll just be me and Joe here. I’ll tell you what he told me today.” With that she hung up and Derek was left alone with his thoughts.

Then Derek looked towards his home and scowled. His pack had hurt his mate again and he was getting really fucking tired of it. He ran back to the house and burst inside. The all shrunk back, taking in his glowing eyes and claws when he looked at them.

“You’re all banned from Stiles.” He snarled. “And the coven. Do not go near them.” Without waiting for their response he just turned and stalked upstairs to Peter’s room. He was calm when he walked in, completely human with the anger rolling inside his gut instead.

“Am I to assume I’m banned as well?” Peter asked, bookmarking his book.

Derek shook his head. “We’re allowed. Us being there doesn’t hurt him like apparently the pack’s presence does.”

“They really hurt him.” Peter said, sitting up.

Derek nodded and sat on the bed, his anger dissipating and turning into exhaustion. “Peter what the hell am I supposed to do? She made it seem like just him being near them hurts him but he’s my mate and I need to be with him. But this is my pack and I need them there to. I’m being pulled in opposite directions and it hurts.”

Peter reached out and put a hand on his nephew’s shoulder. “I’m sorry Derek. I really am. What else did she say?”

“I’m going to talk to her tomorrow. You can stay and train the pack or come with.”

“I’ll stay here. You’ll tell me everything when you get home?”

Derek nodded.

“Then I see no reason to go. You’re capable of this.”

Derek looked at Peter. “What am I supposed to do?” He whispered.

“The same thing I did when my wife and child died. Decide to be fine until the end of the week. Make yourself smile because you’re alive and an alpha and that’s your job. And do it again the next week. And the week after that. And then the week after that. And eventually it will become a part of you. So soldier on. Darkness always turns to light. Things will get better. It’ll just take time and commitment from each and every one of us. But it will be alright. Okay?”

Derek nodded, desperately holding back tears.

“Come here.” Peter said, opening his arms.

Derek fell into them and let the sobs silently tear out of him.

“It’s gonna be alright Derek. It’s going to get better. I know it will.”

 

The next day Derek knocked on the door, tentative and nervous.

“You can come in Derek.” Sam’s voice said from inside.

He opened the door and went inside, slipping his shoes off automatically.

“We’re in here.” Sam called, not bothering to raise her voice as she spoke from the living room.

Derek walked in and saw Sam and Joe curled up on the couch together. They both looked at him as he walked in.

“Sit down Derek.” Joe said.

Derek sat in the chair across from them.

“I’m not going to tell you everything he said to me.” Sam declared. “I’m only going to tell you what he wanted me to tell you. He’s not mad at you. Or Peter. He’s alright when you’re there. But whenever he hears one of the others talk all he can think about and remember is the last year of hell your pack put him through. He hears the words Jackson said to him every time he sees that boy. He hears Scott’s silence whenever his old best friend is in the room. He hears the snickers of the girl he once loved as she laughs at her boyfriend’s insults that are aimed only at him. He hears Isaac laughing and _agreeing_ with Jackson sometimes that he never belonged in the pack. Because he’s human and what good is a human in a wolf pack.” Sam sneered the last sentence and Derek knew it was something Stiles had been told. “He thought himself worthless and nothing because your pack told him he was and he trusted them with everything he had in him and more. Jackson may have been the only one who said anything, but it was the others’ silence that hurt him more. He believed Jackson because no one said otherwise and he just figured they all thought the same and that they were just letting Jackson break the news. And did you know that not one of them has apologized? Not a single one of them has even acknowledged the hurt they caused him. No one has mentioned that he was planning to kill himself because of what they did to him. He trusted them with everything he had. He loved the pack with his entire being and they pushed him out. The only reason he is still alive today is because he didn’t want his father to find him dead. So tell me Derek Hale what are you going to do?”

Derek was silent for a long moment as he fought back tears of anger and disappointment before speaking. “They will stay away from him. They will give him however much time he needs.”

“And you? He is your mate Derek. You love him with everything you have in you.”

Derek nodded. “I can’t pressure him. I wanted to tell him after the school year was over. I wanted to take him on a nice date and take things slow and easy and I wanted him to be happy with me and the pack and I wanted him to be safe but knows he’s hurt because I couldn’t see what was happening in my own pack!” The tears he’d tried to hold back were spilling now. “It’s my fault he’s in this pain and I can’t do anything to help him.”

Sam pulled away from Joe and went to kneel in front of Derek, setting her hand on his knee. “Derek this is not your fault. This is your pack’s fault but that does not mean it is yours as well. You have done nothing but be nice to him and accommodating for all of this. He knows that you didn’t know and he’s not mad at you. He’s upset because the only friends he ever had pushed him away because of what he is.” She hesitated for a moment and took a deep breath. “This is something he asked me not to tell you if I could avoid it but you need to hear it. Stiles is gay. He realized almost two years ago that he’s attracted to males. At first he thought bisexual but he’s recently discovered that women hold no interest for him anymore. He’s gay and he’s okay with it. But when they pushed him away for being human, well it felt a lot like being thrown to the side because of his sexuality. And that, for him as well as a lot of people in this world, hurts quite a lot. He doesn’t have a mother to tell him it’s alright. The Sheriff tries so hard to be a good parent, and he is, but he is not a mother. He doesn’t know emotions like Claudia would. He’s unsure in that department but he does his best. But Stiles? He couldn’t take the pain of being thrown away like that. He lost his mother and all he had was Scott and his father. Scott got bit and a shitstorm erupted but in the end he ended up even closer to his father and Scott and had more friends in his heart than he’d ever had. He finally stopped and really looked at himself, realized he was gay, and didn’t care. He was planning to come out to all of you that night at his house as he was expecting Scott to throw him a surprise party. That obviously didn’t happen and instead he left the only family he’s ever had and almost killed himself. Are you starting to see why there is so much hurt behind him and the words Jackson said? Why when we got here we hated all of them and you got lumped into that in our blindness caused by the pain we could feel in the bond we share with him? Why I’m so protective of him? Why I threatened you day one to never hurt him?”

Derek nodded. “I didn’t know.” He choked out.

“I know you didn’t know. And I’m not blaming you. He’s a very outgoing person but he keeps his secrets and his heart close to his chest. He’s open but he’s not. He hides the real Stiles away because he’s afraid of being hurt. Especially now after all of this.”

Derek looked up at her for the first time since she’d started talking and his face was streaked with tears and his eyes were bloodshot. “What do I do?”

“You and Peter help me and my pack kill these giants and get rid of Eli. Then you and Stiles have to sit down and have a long talk about your situation. He needs to know about how you feel and what you did. He needs to know Derek.”

Derek nodded. “Alright. And the pack?”

“They’re irrelevant right now. My pack won’t have anything to do with them because of what they did to Stiles. If they come near there’s a few of mine that might try and kill them. But if they stay away there won’t be any trouble. You and Peter will be fine because they know you two did nothing to hurt him. When the threat is dealt with we can worry about dealing with them but for now there’s nothing to do. I don’t have time to figure this out. I’m still running interference and keeping giants away from this house and yours and trying to find Eli as well as holding my pack together and the emotional human that’s at the center of this because honestly at this point he’s like a piece of broken glass and if you’re not carefully he could hurt you but he’s so fragile that you can’t let go because you’re afraid he’s going to shatter if you do. I don’t have time to think about your pack. Just keep them away from me and mine and we’ll all get out of this alive. Okay?”

Derek nodded. “Okay.”

Sam smiled and pulled him in for a hug. “I know it hurts Derek. And I know how confused your wolf must be from being pulled into two directions but we’ll figure this out, alright? We’ll do it together.”

Derek nodded against her shoulder, raising his arms to cling to her.

Joe stood up and walked over perching on the arm of the chair to rub Derek’s back soothingly. “We’re here for you Derek.” He whispered. “We’re always here.”

“He’s right.” Sam added. “You love Stiles and have done your absolute best to stop him from getting hurt. That’s more than most people have done.”

Derek nodded against her shoulder. “You smell like him.”

Sam chuckled. “This is his hoodie.” She explained. “We share clothes a lot in this coven.”

Derek nodded and nuzzled into the fabric, inhaling his mate’s scent. He knew she hadn’t lied when she said they share a lot but he also knew she’d worn it specifically for him. To help him calm down. “Thank you. For all of this.”

“This is what family does Derek.” Joe said. “We help each other.”

“Family?” He whispered, his voice sort of shocked.

“Yes Derek.” Sam said. “Family. You’re family now and I’ll protect you just as I do my coven.”

“Thank you.” He whispered, his voice was emotionless as he detached himself from his emotions. “For telling me all of this and helping me understand.”

Sam nodded and pulled away to look at him one more time. “Are you good to go home? If you aren’t you can sleep here.”

Derek shook his head. “They’re expecting me and I need to tell Peter everything.”

She nodded. “Alright. One second then.” She stripped off the hoodie and held it out. “Don’t let the others take it. I know you’ll need it for the moon.”

Derek gave her a small smile and took the hoodie. “Thank you.”

She nodded. “Come here if you need to.”

He nodded. “I will. Can Peter have the same choice?”

She nodded. “You and your uncle are always welcome here. Just leave your pups at home.”

Derek gave her another small smile and looked at Joe. “Thank you.” He said.

Joe nodded. “I know how having a mate feels. And how it feels not to have them around on the moon.” He looked pointedly at Sam.

Sam gave a small apologetic smirk. “I did apologize for that.”

“And I forgave you.” Joe said.

Derek stood up fast. “I have to go.” He declared before rushing out of the house.

“Well that was abrupt.” Joe commented.

“Dude we were acting all matey and his mate hates his pack. How would you react?”

“Good point. That guy’s life sucks.”

Sam resisted the urge to roll her eyes at her mate’s bluntness. “Well hopefully we can make it a little better.”


	15. The Magic of the Full Moon

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So sorry for the long wait my life's been a bit hectic this week but I managed to write more and I should have another chapter up tonight or tomorrow to make up for my lack of posting lately.

Two days later the full moon rose and the coven was getting ready to run.

“You three behave alright?” Sam said, looking at Chandra, Allison, and Stiles. “No getting in trouble. And do not go looking for it either.”

“I don’t go looking for trouble.” Stiles said. “It’s more than able to find me.”

“Just be safe.” Seth said, looking at Allison. “Shout if you need us.”

“We’ll be fine.” Allison answered with a smile, slinging an arm around Stiles and lifting her crossbow. “We’re safe here.”

“Just be careful.” Zach said, watching Chandra. “We don’t know how the giants are on the moon.”

“Just go so you can come back.” Chandra said, smiling fondly.

“She’s right.” Joe said, slipping an arm around Sam. “We should get going so we can get back.”

Sam nodded. “Zach what are you going to be?”

“Cougar. I heard they’re popular around here.” He said smirking.

She nodded. “I’ll run as a wolf.”

“As usual.” Seth commented.

She smiled. “It’s my preferred form.”

“Come on.” Joe whined, tugging Sam’s arm. All of them were getting restless. “I need to run.”

She nodded and gave the three staying behind one last smile before turning and jumping off the porch, shifting to a wolf, the other three running right behind her as they ran into the forest. As soon as they were gone Stiles and Chandra’s eyes glowed white as they raised their hands in front of them.

“ _Chosaint_.” They said together. Then the glow faded and they dropped their arms.

“We’re as safe as we can be.” Chandra said.

“Good.” Allison said.

Stiles nodded and held out his hands, his brown eyes going as he let his magic, pure and without an element, pull through him and flow out his hands. Huge ribbons of color flowed out, intertwining in the air. He grinned as he watched it, knowing that in this place he was safe and could do this.

“It’s beautiful Sti.” Allison said, hugging him from behind.

“Thanks Alli.” Stiles said, smiling and glancing back at her. Then he looked at Chandra. “Come on. You can do it.”

Chandra chuckled and held out one hand, only letting one red ribbon come out.

Stiles rolled his eyes, recognizing it as a message to control his magic a bit more, and closed his hands, the ribbons fading away in the sky.

“Challenge me then?” Stiles begged her. “My magic is restless.”

“Let’s do this.” Chandra said. “I want fire and air.”

“Fine with me.” Stiles said. “I like earth and water.”

“I’m just gonna watch.” Allison decided, sitting down.

The two magic users laughed and moved down into the lawn, facing each other.

“Ready Little Red?” Chandra asked.

Stiles grinned. “Are you pup?”

“Always.” She answered before her eyes flashed red and she thrust her hands out, launching fire at him.

Stiles twisted out of the way with ease, his eyes flashing blue as he created a shield between him and the flame. It sizzled out and he spun, carrying his momentum as he ducked, grazing his hand along the ground, before raising it again and thrust it towards Chandra. A long spear flew out of the ground, flying towards Chandra.

Chandra spun quickly, kicking her leg up and knocking the spear aside with a blast of air. “Oh how I’ve missed this.” She commented, continuing her spin to send a blast of air towards Stiles.

“I agree.” Stiles said, raising his hands as his eyes went green and a chunk of earth rose in front of him to block the air. “This really is wonderful.” His eyes flashed blue as he launched a ball of water at her.

Her eyes went white again as she raised her hands and twisted them, blowing the water away from her. Then her eyes changed to red and she launched another fire ball at him.

Stiles spun again, raising another earth shield with a flash of green eyes followed by a water shield with a flash of blue eyes. The fire hit the earth shield, burning through it, and then hit the water shield, sizzling out.

“You’re getting better.” Chandra commented.

Stiles gave a small smile, swaying a bit.

“But you’re still not full power.” Chandra finished. “Come on let’s sit down before you exhaust yourself. Sam’ll kill me if she has to wake you up again.”

Stiles nodded and Chandra helped him back to the porch. Allison held out to mugs of coffee with a smile.

“Thank you.” Stiles said smiling up at her.

She nodded and sat down on his other side, leaning against him. “You need to stop pushing yourself so hard Stiles. You’ve learned a lot but you’re still not strong enough for a lot of spells in a row.”

Stiles just rolled his eyes at Allison’s worrying and readjusted and soon both girls were leaning on him, Allison on one shoulder and Chandra on the other side lying on his ribs.

“You know there was a time I’d have loved this.” He sighed.

The girls chuckled.

“You know you love us.” Allison said.

“Unfortunately.” He sighed.

Chandra pinched his hip and he jerked.

“Fine yes I love loving you both.” He said.

Both women nodded, satisfied, and nuzzled him.

“How are you holding up?” Allison asked.

“I’m alright.” Stiles answered. “Better now that they’re not around anymore.”

“But you still miss them.” Chandra whispered.

Stiles sighed. “Yea I do but the pain of being around them right now is a bit much.”

“I get it.” Allison muttered. “I really do.”

“You feel it to?” Stiles asked.

She nodded.  “I hate being near Scott. I can still feel him in my mind and it’s awful.”

“Sam said that when we joined the packs connected.” Chandra whispered. “That’s why you can feel them again.”

Stiles grit his teeth. “I don’t want to feel them. I don’t want to still care about them. I want them out of my head.”

Both girls reacted instinctively by nudging against him, trying to calm the anger he was giving off.

He sighed and relaxed a bit, tightening his arms around them. “Sorry. I’m just pissed off that even after everything they did I still care about them and want them to be safe.”

“They were all you had Stiles. And you were their pack mom.” Chandra said. “That’s not a bond that’s easily broken.”

“But I want it to be.” Stiles hissed, tears pricking in his eyes. “I don’t want to fucking care about those assholes. I want to just live my life and not care!”

The girls sat up as he screamed and looked at him. There were tears in both of their eyes and they glanced at each other, nodding. They got to their feet and held hands out to Stiles.

“What?” He asked.

“Breakaway.” They answered.

He smiled, set his mug against the railing, and took their hands.

They pulled him to his feet and led him inside. They went into the living room and Chandra went to the stereo, fiddling for a moment before music filled the room.

Stiles smiled at the sound and opened his arms to the girls. They fell into him as the lyrics started and they swayed to the words. Chandra sang the words softly, letting her magic flow through her voice, adding a calming effect to the words.

 

_Grew up in a small town_

_And when the rain would fall down_

_I'd just stare out my window_

_Dreaming of what could be_

_And if I'd end up happy_

_I would pray_

 

Stiles added in, singing the next words with a choked voice.

 

_Trying hard to reach out_

_But when I tried to speak out_

_Felt like no one could hear me_

_Wanted to belong here_

_But something felt so wrong here_

_So I prayed I could break away_

Chandra pulled away and spun around happily, grinning and singing the chorus as she raised her arms into her ‘wings’.

_I'll spread my wings and I'll learn how to fly_

_I'll do what it takes til' I touch the sky_

_And I'll make a wish_

_Take a chance_

_Make a change_

_And breakaway_

_Out of the darkness and into the sun_

_But I won't forget all the ones that I love_

_I'll take a risk_

_Take a chance_

_Make a change_

_And breakaway_

Allison clung tightly to Stiles as she sang the next verse in a small, timid voice.

_Wanna feel the warm breeze_

_Sleep under a palm tree_

_Feel the rush of the ocean_

_Get onboard a fast train_

_Travel on a jet plane, far away (I will)_

_And breakaway_

As she finished the verse Allison too pulled away, raising her arms into ‘wings’. She sang happily, grinning at Stiles even as tears pricked her eyes.

_I'll spread my wings and I'll learn how to fly_

_I'll do what it takes til' I touch the sky_

_And I'll make a wish_

_Take a chance_

_Make a change_

_And breakaway_

_Out of the darkness and into the sun_

_But I won't forget all the ones that I love_

_I'll take a risk_

_Take a chance_

_Make a change_

_And breakaway_

Chandra sang the last verse, she stared at Stiles with all the love a sister can hold for a brother completely laid bare on her face as she smiled at him.

_Buildings with a hundred floors_

_Swinging around revolving doors_

_Maybe I don't know where they'll take me but_

_Gotta keep moving on, moving on_

_Fly away, breakaway_

Stiles finally smiled and sang the chorus with the girls, laughing and raising his own arms into ‘wings’. He let the words flow happily, knowing how true they were for him.

_I'll spread my wings_

_And I'll learn how to fly_

_Though it's not easy to tell you goodbye_

_I gotta take a risk_

_Take a chance_

_Make a change_

_And breakaway_

_Out of the darkness and into the sun_

_But I won't forget the place I come from_

_I gotta take a risk_

_Take a chance_

_Make a change_

_And breakaway, breakaway, breakaway_

 

As the song finished the girls smiled at Stiles.

 “Better now?” Chandra asked.

Stiles nodded. That song always made him feel better. “Although I didn’t get to finish my coffee.”

The girls laughed.

“I’ll make you another cup.” Allison said, grinning. “I’m just glad you’re alright.”

Stiles nodded. “I’m alright. It’s just, it’s fucked up in my head.”

“Stiles you broke away for a reason.” Allison said. “And so did I. They weren’t who we thought they were but we broke off for a reason. It’s hard to be completely disconnected from them but that doesn’t matter. We are here for each other. That’s what matters.”

Stiles nodded. “Okay. Okay.”

They smiled.

“Now coffee?” Stiles asked.

Allison rolled her eyes but nodded. “Fine. Chan?”

“Yes please.”

Allison nodded and left.

Chandra looked at Stiles. “You sure you’re alright?”

Stiles nodded, only hesitating a bit. “Maybe once this is all over I will be. But I’m as good as expected for the situation.”

She smiled and stepped up to hug him again. “Whenever you need us, we’re here.”

Stiles nodded against her shoulder, holding her tightly. “I know. Thank you.”

“Anything for my brother.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Chosaint - Protect


	16. Arrival

“Would you guys stand still?” Sam scolded, looking at her cubs but without any fire behind it.

“No!” Chandra exclaimed. “Aunt May’s coming and she’s bringing pack! She’s bringing coven!”

“Are they always like this?” Peter asked. He and Derek were in the far back, near the house, while the coven was standing in the middle of the front yard, anxiously waiting.

Sam laughed and nodded. “Yea pretty much.”

Joe and Seth froze and their heads snapped to the side, facing down the road.

“They’re coming.” Joe whispered, happiness filling his voice.

“No tackling as they get out!” Sam ordered. “Let them settle first!”

The coven all nodded agreement before a line of black SUV’s came into sight. The pulled in and parked together, the doors opening as teenagers and young adults tumbled out, groggy from the long drive. Sam’s coven flew towards the new arrivals, greeted with happy yips from the wolves and grins from the mages.

Sam waiting, smiling fondly, before the lead SUV’s driver side door opened and a middle-aged woman stepped out. Then she grinned and ran forward to hug the woman.

The woman laughed, hugging her back. “It’s good to see you Samella. I trust you had a good moon?”

She nodded as she pulled away, a grin on her face. “It was very fun. We had a nice run.”

May smiled and then focused on the Hales still apart. “That them?”

Sam looked and then nodded. “This is Derek Hale and his uncle Peter Hale. They are the Alpha and Second of the pack here.”

“The pack that hurt Stiles.” May said.

Sam nodded. “But these were the two that did not know.”

May nodded. “I remember.”

“Aunt May!” Stiles exclaimed, slipping away from two teenagers he’d been hugging and running to hug the woman.

She smiled and caught him up in a hug. “Hey there Red.” She whispered into his hair. “How are you?”

“I’ve been better.” Stiles admitted.

“Better you’re better now?”

He nodded.

“Good.” She smiled. Then she looked back at Sam and then at the Hales. “Let’s go inside and sit down. What’s our radius to run?”

“Ten miles.” Derek answered. “My pack has been told to stay away and Sam has placed wards to keep them away.”

“Thank you.” May said, nodding respectfully to him. “I have no quarrel with you as I know you didn’t hurt him but the others do not have my protection from my cubs. My cubs will do their best to behave but I guarantee nothing when it comes to Stiles.”

Derek nodded. “I can accept that.”

“Wonderful.” She looked at Sam. “Let’s go inside cana. It’s been a long drive and I would love a cup of tea.”

Sam nodded. “Come on.” She looked at the crowd of people around the cars. “Straight into the house, all the way to the back, last door on the left. It’s been enlarged with our magic so try not to screw up the runes.” She glared pointedly at the group of half-wolfed out wolves. “I mean it guys. Don’t scratch the spirals.”

They nodded excitedly and grabbed their bags, the crowd of teens flooding into the house.

“Think our spells will hold?” Stiles asked, looking at Sam.

“I certainly hope so.” She answered. “Otherwise they’ll blink out of existence. And I don’t need to be chasing people through the nothing again.” She gave Stiles a pointed look.

Stiles blushed. Derek and Peter were giving them confused looks.

“How do they all fit in the house?” Peter asked.

“We have five bedrooms normally.” Sam answered as she led them, May, and Stiles inside and to the kitchen. “Me and Joe share, Ally and Seth share one, Chan and Zach share another, Stiles is by himself, and we have one extra room. That’s going to be your room Aunt May.” Sam threw over her shoulder, setting the kettle on.

“One of the cubs will put my bags there.” May said, sitting down. “What do you have for tea?”

“I went out and got chamomile tea just for you.” Sam grinned.

May smiled. “I knew there was a reason you were my favorite.”

Joe gasped from the door. “I thought I was your favorite!”

May rolled her eyes.

“What’s up babe?” Sam asked, accepting Joe’s greeting kiss as he wrapped his arms around her.

“John slashed a light rune.” Joe answered innocently.

Sam sighed. “Can Chan fix it?”

“Nope. It’s one of yours.”

Sam groaned again. “Watch the kettle for the tea then. I’ll be right back.” She pulled away from him and swept from the room.

“My question still hasn’t been answered.” Peter said.

“We put an enchantment on the back hallway.” Stiles said, looking at the man. “It enlarged the hallway, added a dozen bedrooms and some bathrooms, and put runes everywhere to give them light as windows are difficult when technically it’s another dimension through the door.”

Peter nodded. “An undetectable extension. Smart.”

Stiles smiled. “Thanks.”

Joe laughed, his head cocked as if listening. Derek and Peter automatically cocked their heads as well, trying to hear what he was hearing.

“What’d she do?” May asked.

“Threatened to tattoo John with a moonless rune.” Joe said, smirking. “John squealed like a pig.”

“Moonless rune?” Derek asked.

“Makes it impossible to shift at night.” Joe explained. “She makes it so it fades after a week but the torture of not having night runs for a week is enough.”

“I’ve done it to all of them at least once.” Sam said, sweeping back in as the kettle started to whistle and she busied herself making the tea. “None of them want it again.”

“So tell me what’s going on?” May asked, accepting the mug of tea Sam passed her. She handed one to Joe and Stiles as well and gave a questioning look at the Hales. Peter nodded gratefully but Derek shook his head in a polite decline. Sam handed a mug to Peter and made another one for herself.

“Alright.” Sam sighed, sitting next to Joe. “Let’s get started.”

“We have to the formalities first.” May decided.

The others nodded their agreement.

May looked at Derek.

“I am Maylaha Edridge of the Ranch Pack and Coven. I lead the Coven and my husband the pack. I am a Spark of Power trained in healing and battle to protect my family. I come from Wisconsin at the summons of my student, a bond I must follow. With me comes two dozen of our pack. One dozen hold powers of magic. The others are shifters, both wolves and cats. I am here to protect my members and the town. Then I will be leaving. In the meantime I ask that your pack be kept away from mine.”

Derek nodded. “I am Derek Hale of the Hale Pack. I am the Alpha. I accept you and yours into my territory. I offer my complete cooperation on dealing with the threat and that of my Second, my uncle Peter Hale. My pack will stay away from your pack as you have requested and I will deal with them accordingly if they do not.”

“Thank you Alpha Hale, shall we discuss the threat?”

Derek nodded and they both looked at Sam.

“Wonderful. Basically, Eli’s back and he brought giants this time. And a full coven I believe.”

May nodded. “The others have been informed of him attacking us but your history is safe.”

“Thank you.” Sam smiled gratefully.

“All four types of giants are here.” Joe said. “Earth seems to be most common and fire the rarest. But that’s common overall.”

“We have to go after him.” Stiles whispered.

May nodded. “We can’t wait for him like last time. And this time, I’ll make sure he stays down.”

“Thank you May.” Sam whispered. They could tell all this was hard for her. Someone she’d thought of as family for years and who helped her first learn to control her powers was trying to kill her and everyone she’d come to love. Everyone she’d grown to need. It was breaking her and they could feel it.

Stiles leaned into her side, getting as much contact with her as he could to try and comfort her. Joe did the same on her other side. Neither of them liked feeling her pain.

“How do we kill these things?” Peter asked.

“You?” May specified. “You don’t. The wolves are here to protect the ones with magic and weaken the giants so we can kill them. They are creatures of magic and the elements, they are unkillable with teeth and claw. Magic is their only weakness.”

“We’re bait.” Joe said, smiling innocently.

Sam sighed and flicked her mate’s ear. “But essentially yes.” She admitted. “It’s the only way. And we make sure to kill them before any harm comes to a wolf.”

“When?” Derek asked.

“Saturday night.” May answered. “The kids here must still attend school and we need the time to prepare. I’ll need you to take me into the forest Derek. Me and a few of mine. We need some herbs so we’ll have to find them or grow them.”

“Why do you need them?” Peter asked, his curiosity rearing its head again.

“We make a mixture to increase our connection to the earth.” Sam explained. “It anchors us to life rather than drifting towards death as we normally would during such a large fight.”

A girl burst into the kitchen, red hair a mess around her head and no more than fifteen years old. “Um, sorry, but um, Drew, he uh.”

“What’d he do?” May asked.

“He uh, he broke the wall.”

Sam groaned and hit her head on the table. “I gave those runes everything I had but twelve wolves seems to be enough to break them! Jesus Christ!”

“Yes?” Joe asked, smiling sweetly. They were all thinking the same thing though. Sam was weak. Her runes could normally stand against all the wolves and more but now they're breaking. They're being scratched up and broken and it was everything she had. They all knew what that meant but none of them were going to say it.

Sam glared at him and stalked from the room again. This time all three wolves chuckled as they heard her explode on the wolves in the expanded hallway. May just rolled her eyes, her magic allowing her to hear.

“Sometimes being the only one unable to hear things is annoying.” Stiles declared.

“She’s threatening them all.” Joe answered.  “With the rune and no running and castration. Telling them to stop hurting her house. And now she’s fixed the wall and is threatening them more.”

Stiles laughed. “She’s great when she gets angry.”

“She’s great all the time.” Joe corrected. “But she does get really pretty and really scary when she’s mad.”

“That’s a trait of being a woman, boys.” May said, smiling at them. “Get used to it if you plan on being around them.”

Joe smiled. “I know Aunt May. Trust me, I know.”

May chuckled. “Your girl is a firecracker I’ll give her that.”

“What’d she say now?” Stiles asked, grabbing Sam’s now cold mug and taking his and hers to the sink to wash them.

“Lots of words in another language that will not be repeated in English.” May answered.

Sam walked back into the kitchen, smiling, and sat back down. “Alright. Let’s get this plan hammered out.”


	17. Confrontations and Tattoos

“Stiles throw fire balls at Elizabeth.” Sam ordered, watching the coven train their magic.

Stiles listened and his eyes glowed red as he spun towards one of the new girls, throwing fire balls.

“He’s gotten much better.” May commented.

Sam smiled. “He’s been practicing. And the control and spells he learned on his own before coming to us really helped him along in control and power.”

“It’s obvious that he has been very dedicated to practicing. You’ve done well with him. And Chandra.”

“They’re both very dedicated to learning everything I can teach them. It is very refreshing and I love teaching them.”

May smiled. “I know you do. There is a reason I assigned you to Chandra when she came to the Ranch. I knew you’d fit together perfectly.”

Sam laughed. “I always knew you and ulterior motive.”

May laughed, throwing her head back in happiness. She could feel the happiness exploding off everyone in the coven and pack, who was training under Joe nearby, and even though they all knew they were there to fight, they couldn’t help but be happy to be with their old members again.

“What are Stiles’s best elements?” May asked, noting the way Stiles was biting his lower lip as he used fire.

“Water and Air.” Sam answered. “He can go back and forth between them easily with small spells without confusing his magic too much.”

May nodded. “Well then we’ll have to help him master those elements at some point.”

Sam nodded in agreement. “Yes. Yes we shall.”

“What do you think of the Hales?”

“I enjoy having them around.” Sam answered truthfully. “Peter takes a different view on things than most and Derek’s loyal to a fault. I trust them both to fight well with us.”

“I’d like to take Peter on Saturday.” May said.

Sam nodded. “I was planning on that.”

“And you’re still okay with being the center.”

She nodded again. “Of course. I don’t want you trying to do too much while you’re still weak from that wraith last month.”

May smiled. “Always worried about me.”

Sam smiled at her teacher. “It’s my job to worry at you Aunt May.”

They heard a snarl and snapped to attention. Sam recognized it as Joe and swung around to see the pack in protective stances facing the forest with Joe in front, facing the trees. She saw who they were facing and snarled herself. She sprinted over and moved in front of Joe.

“Get away from here Scott.” She warned him, flashing her eyes at him to try and make him back down. She was shocked he’d managed to get here but Derek technically never gave an Alpha order to stay away and her wards allowed pack through. Does her magic still think of Scott as pack? She sure hoped not. It was probably the weakness. She’d been much weaker lately but refused to acknowledge it. She knew the others were beginning to notice but she wasn’t going to worry them.

“I need to talk to Stiles.” He growled, flashing his gold eyes. Sam could feel her coven’s anger now at Scott’s blatant challenge against her. “I need to talk to my best friend.”

“No.” Joe growled back, flashing his own eyes, which were red as the mate of the leader.

“You need to get out of here Scott.” Sam warned. “I cannot protect you from them.” She was speaking of the pack and the coven which were inching their way forward, eyes glowing, anger pure in their eyes.

“I can protect myself.” Scott growled.

Right after he said that he was blasted back into a tree behind him.

Stiles stepped between the protective wolves, eyes fading from white back to his normal brown, anger clear on his face as well. “You cannot protect yourself Scott. You could never protect yourself. I grew up protecting you and I’m still protecting you. You threw me away like a piece of trash and I still protect you. I’m the only reason one of these wolves hasn’t torn your throat out yet. And you lost the right to call me your friend the day I left the pack.”

Scott stood up, a trickle of blood on his face from an already healed cut on his head. “Stiles please. We need you. We can’t survive without you.”

“I know.” Stiles said, his voice cold and emotionless. He was pissed that Scott disobeyed and came here and anyone connected to him could feel his mind and heart stressing and breaking because of his old best friend across from him, pulling the wounds open again. “Trust me I am very well aware of your inability to survive without me.” Stiles yanked his shirts of, displaying his toned chest and the scars that cross it. He pointed to a big, jagged scar on his left side. “You see this? I got this saving you from the Jangla last year. I told you not to go after it and you still did. You almost got yourself killed and I had to safe you. It’s stinger went straight into my side and I was out for over a week. We lied to everyone and said I had mono.” He moved his hand to the perfectly straight line right above his right hip. “This is from the surgery I had to have to remove a bullet from my side. It was put there by a hunter, aiming for you. I jumped in the way even though it wouldn’t have killed you. It was just a normal bullet, and I knew that, but I still jumped. I was in the hospital for two weeks because of it. I had to come up with some stupid ass story of running in the woods and accidently getting shot that I doubt anyone would’ve bought if my dad wasn’t the Sheriff.” He took his hand off and let it drop to his side. “There’s dozens more, but only one more worth mentioning to you.” He put his hand up again and pointed at the claw marks on his right pec. They were jagged and stuck out even from the other, smaller scars around them. “This is from _you_. _You_ lost control. _You_ wolfed out in my bedroom and attacked me. You’d forgotten who I was and thought I was an enemy. _You_ almost bit me. The only reason I am still alive is because of Derek busting in through the window and the knife I had on my bedside table. _You_ almost _killed_ me.”

There was a rise in the growling behind him at this declaration, all the wolves wanted Scott dead even more now, but Stiles just held up his hand to silence them.

“You are no longer welcome anywhere I live.” Stiles’s voice was low and dangerous, his eyes starting to glow, not changing color, just showing his power. “You are not welcome here. You are not welcome at my dad’s house. You are not welcome near me. Ever. Again. I gave you everything I could, risking my life and my dad’s life, to keep you safe and you returned that favor by allowing Jackson to insult me every time he spoke to me. I have not heard a single nice word out of that boy’s mouth pointed at me. You let him push me from the pack. This is your fault. This is the fault of every single one of you. You and the pack let him push me out and in the end, I went happily. Just to get away from the insults and the worthless feeling I always had around you. I knew my worth. Trust me I knew. But none of you did. And now that you do, you’re paying for your stupidity and your insults. I’m never going back to the pack Scott. So stop trying. All you’re doing is pulling the scab off before it can heal. Let go. Let. Me. Go.” Stiles’s voice was cold and collected and everyone had noticed that not once had Stiles raised his voice. Not once had Stiles shouted in anger. His voice stayed low and dangerous. Stiles turned his back on Scott and for the first time Scott saw Stiles’s back. And the tattoo that graced it.

It was a phoenix tattoo. The fire bird was on the back of his left shoulder, flying upwards, its wings outstretched. Its tail trailed out behind it and curved to the left. And just to the right of it, in red ink at the base of his neck, was a simple Celtic knot. And Scott knew what they meant.

Scott made a choked off sound and Stiles turned back, a smirk on his face. “Yes Scott?”

Scott shook his head and ran, unable to comprehend the steps his old best friend took just to get away from his old pack. They heard a mournful howl as Scott shifted and they all looked at Stiles.

“Are you alright?” Allison asked, stepping from behind Seth, who quickly shifted back to human.

Stiles nodded but reached for her. She didn’t hesitate in hurry forward and pulling him into a hug. Sam joined quickly, the two girls holding Stiles between them as he tried not to cry.

Derek stepped forward, Peter at his side. “What does that mean?” Peter asked May.

“What does what mean?” She asked, looking at him, the pain she was sharing with Stiles clear in her eyes.

“The tattoo.” Peter answered. “When the boy saw it, it hurt him. Quite a lot. I want to know what it means and why it did that.”

“It’s not what it means to her.” Stiles whispered. “It’s what it means to me.”

“And what does it mean to you?” Derek asked. He was hiding his pain well, but his wolf was keening at the sight of his mate in pain and being comforted by someone else. He ignored the urge to hold Stiles close and never let him go in favor of watching him carefully.

He just looked at Allison and Sam. “Inside. I need to sit down.”

The girls nodded and pulled away but Stiles didn’t let them go far, clinging to their arms like anchors. And judging by the glow in his eyes, that’s what they were. Derek could tell that Stiles’s nails were digging uncomfortably far into the girls’ flesh, he could even see the flash of a little blood on Sam’s arm, but they acted like it was nothing. Like it’s something that’s happened before. And as he looked at the somber faces of the other shifters and magic users around him, he realized that it had. Their hearts were steady and they weren’t afraid. They’d seen this before, probably multiple times.

“Derek! Peter! With us!” Sam called. “Chandra and Zach lead the groups! We’ll be back out in a bit!”

**

Scott ran all the way back to the pack house. The others were waiting in the yard for him and he didn’t bother stopping before running straight into Isaac and knocking him over. Between one breath and the next he shattered. He clung to Isaac as if the boy was the only thing stopping him from dying and sobs tore from his body with painful sounding chokes of air.

“Scott what happened?” Isaac asked, holding Scott tightly, trying to calm his mate down.

“Tattoo.” Scott gasped through his tears. “Phoenix. Knot. Gone. Forever.”

The others looked at each other, very confused.

**

“So what does it mean?” Peter asked, looking Stiles.

He was on the couch, sandwiched between Sam and Allison. Joe was on the floor by Sam’s feet and Seth was sitting by Allison’s. Stiles was still clinging to both girls like lifelines but he was god enough to look at the Hales without pain or anger in his eyes. Just comfort from his covenmates.

“A while after my mom died, I told Scott something I never told anyone else. And it sparked a conversation. I’m not going to tell you what I told him because you don’t need to know. These guys already do and that’s enough for me.”

Allison and Sam shifted closer and the two wolves knew it was because they were the people he was talking about. They knew his secret. Derek knew it shouldn’t hurt that Stiles didn’t want to tell him because his pack was the reason he was hurt, but it did. But he ignored the pain, just like always.

“We ended up talking about tattoos and I told him I wished I was old enough to get one because I knew what I wanted. He asked what and I told him that I wanted a phoenix tattoo on the back of my shoulder because they mean new life and I was about to start one, without my mom. I told him it would mean me leaving behind the pain of her death and allowing myself to get stronger from it. When a phoenix dies they burst into flame and are reborn from the ashes. But they are reborn stronger. Every time they are reborn it is harder to kill them. The phoenix is me leaving behind the past and the pack and allowing myself to be stronger.”

Derek and Peter were speechless. The thought Stiles had put into the tattoo and the meaning of it was a bit overwhelming.

“It’s one big symbol that you’re done with the pack.” Peter clarified.

Stiles nodded. “I got it from Sam at the Ranch. She’s a tattoo artist.”

“I specialize in magic tattoos.” Sam said smiling. “Stiles’s phoenix allows me to find him anywhere no matter what.”

“What about the Celtic knot?’ Peter asked. “Those usually mean something very special as well.”

Stiles smiled softly and looked at Allison and Sam. “The knot is the symbol of our coven. All seven of us have it. It ties us to Sam and the others.”

“You all have it?” Derek asked.

The others nodded and reached up to touch the back of their necks, the same place as Stiles’s tattoo.

“I did theirs and Joe did mine.” Sam said. “He’s almost as good at magic tats as me.”

Joe grinned and pushed into her legs a little more. “Learned from the best.”

Sam laughed and flicked his head. “I am by no means the best darling. But the sweet talking’s nice I’ll give ya that.”

Joe leaned his head back and grinned up at her.

She just rolled her eyes.

“What does it mean?” Derek asked. “You could’ve chosen anything, why the knot?”

“Because of what it means to me.” Sam said, smiling slightly and twining her fingers in Joe’s hair and squeezing Stiles’s hand. “Eli used it against me. It was the symbol he forced me to bear, a necklace I could never take off. To me the symbol meant loyalty, courage, and love. To him, it was loyalty, trust, and honesty. And while that seems great and all, he used it and the necklace’s magic against me. He _made_ me tell the truth. He _made_ me trust him with my life. He _made_ me be loyal. He used the necklace to _control_ me. So when May let me pick a symbol to lead this coven, I choose that. Because to me, loyalty, courage, and love is what it has always meant and I will not let him take those away from me.”

Neither Hale said anything for a moment. Then Peter broke the silence.

“Those are great things to always have.” He said.

Sam nodded. “I agree.”

“But what did it mean to Scott?” Derek asked.

Stiles took a deep breath and answered. “I took an interest in symbols a very long time ago and it’s never gone away. After my mom died I took an interest in a particular symbol. A simple, three-point, Celtic knot. Each point meant something as well as the unending pattern that it’s made from. The points were Loss, Change, and Recovery. The unending pattern of life. You lose something, things change, and it gets better again. I lost my mom, my life changed completely, and then I got better. Scott got bit and I lost my ignorance and safety, things changed dramatically and often violently, but it got better. I lost the pack, things flipped upside down for a bit, and now I’m getting better. He saw that. He saw that I followed my life’s pattern. I lost him, my life changed, and now everything is alright. Granted there’s a psychotic maniac trying to kill us but that’s not a first and it won’t be a last. Just like this won’t be the last time I recover from a loss. But I’m okay. And he saw that. That’s what hurt him. I lost them, burned into ash, and came out stronger. I lost them, changed my life, and got better. And he finally saw that.”

**

“He’s gone?” Lydia asked. “Truly gone?”

Scott nodded, rocking slightly in Isaac’s arms. They’d moved into the living room and were all gathered around Scott and Isaac.

“But it was better.” Erica choked out through her tears, her voice slightly muffled by Boyd, who was holding onto her tightly, as if afraid she was going to leave to. “Things were alright. He let us back in.”

“She’s right.” Lydia muttered, clinging to Jackson’s arm with one hand and Isaac’s leg with the other. They were all connected through touch. Lydia was clinging to Isaac while Jackson clung to her and Erica’s legs were tangled with Scott with Boyd behind her, arms tight around her chest.

“Things were better.” Isaac gasped. “He was okay.”

“He has the phoenix _and_ the knot.” Scott choked through his tears. “He’s gone.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry about the wait. So Stiles's tattoos look like this in my mind:  
> http://www.rankmytattoos.com/f/uploads/phoenix-tattoo-11598586238561.jpg and they mean a lot to me as well. I'd love to get something like that to help me but whatever. I know some of you had been wondering when I was going to mention the tattoo Stiles got back in chapter five and now I have so whoot whoot!  
> Also yay tentative chapter count! Whoot whoot! knowing me it might go longer though so be patient.


	18. Cana

“Hello?” Sam answered, picking her phone up as she watched Stiles and Allison. They’d asked for one more day out together before the big fight on Saturday, so she and Joe escorted them to the mall, not trusting Eli to leave them alone.

“It’s me.” Derek answered.

“What’s up?” She asked the familiar question with none of the usual happiness. Everyone had gotten somber lately, getting ready for the battle.

“Is there anything else you guys need from me?” He asked. “Or Peter? We’re coming tonight but do we need to bring anything?”

“A piece of clothing from each of your pack. Our shifters will be under a spell to strengthen them but it also makes them bloodthirsty and we don’t need them going after one of yours. We can desensitize the scent for them though, make it the scent of someone the bloodthirst doesn’t want dead. They won’t become uber protective or anything the just won’t hunt your pack.”

“Well that’s good. I’d hate for bloodthirsty wolves to attack my pack.” Derek said sarcastically.

Sam smirked. “Don’t use sarcasm Derek. Leave that to your mate.”

Derek made a choking sound and Sam laughed.

“It’s alright. He’s with Allison in Victoria’s Secret. Which isn’t really that much of a secret anymore if you think about it but whatever. She needed an opinion on some bras and I won’t be caught dead in there.”

Derek snorted.

“Would you go in there?” She asked.

“I’d rather get one of your moonless runes.” Derek deadpanned.

Sam chuckled at Joe, who was nodded empathetically, able to hear the conversation.

“Joe agrees with you.” Sam said.

“He’s a smart guy.”

Joe’s phone buzzed and he showed Sam the text.

“May wants you to bring enough clothes for all weekend, not just till Saturday. She says they’re kidnapping you for at least Sunday as well.”

Derek laughed. “Alright. Same for Peter?”

“Yea same for him.”

“Can I talk to you?” Derek asked suddenly.

“Of course.” Sam said, hearing the small bit of panic in Derek’s voice. She spotted Stiles and Allison and grit her teeth, she couldn’t be completely invested in a conversation with Derek if Stiles was right there listening to every word she said. “Look I gotta go the cubs just came out but I’ll talk to you tonight, alright?” She sounded genuinely worried about the other alpha.

Derek made a positive noise through the phone. “Yea it’s not all that important. Thanks.”

“Anytime Der.” She hung up the phone. The worry was soothed a little by Joe’s hand sliding into hers but she couldn’t help the feeling something was wrong.

**

When the four of them got back to the house, they found their huge pack in the living room while the Hales were in the kitchen. Sam and Joe headed there to drop off the groceries they’d picked up while Stiles and Allison went to join the pack. They found the pair sitting at the island, mugs in front of them, not speaking and looking somber.

“Alright Hales?” Joe asked, nodding to them as he put the cooking wine they’d bought in the fridge.

They both nodded back.

“It’s been a strange day.” Peter said, glancing at his nephew, who looked out of it.

“What happened?” Sam asked, pulling out pots and pans to start on dinner.

“Scott challenged Derek.” Peter explained, point-blank.

Joe and Sam spun to look at him and they all heard the house fall silent as the others had heard it again.

“Don’t worry.” Derek murmured, flashing red eyes. “I won.”

Sam hurried around the island and hugged Derek tightly. “That doesn’t matter. You were challenged. That’s gonna mess even the strongest people up.”

Derek nodded and reached up to grab her arm tightly.

“Is this what you wanted to talk about earlier?” Sam asked quietly.

Derek nodded again.

Sam looked at Joe, who nodded. “Chandra come help Joe with dinner.” Sam said, her voice at a normal level, knowing her student would be in tune to her voice. Then Sam looked at Derek. “Come on. My room’s soundproof.”

Derek nodded again, almost mindlessly at this point and allowed her to help him to his feet.

Sam looked at Peter. “We’ll talk later.”

Peter nodded. “I would hope so.”

Sam nodded back and took Derek from the kitchen.

Chandra came in right after they left. “What the hell?”

“Language Chan.” Joe warned, already going back to cooking.

“Seriously though.” Chan said, looking between Joe and Peter. “Is Derek going to be alright?”

“Are you worried about him?” Joe asked, hiding a smirk as he looked at the mage.

Chan nodded. “Of course I am. We’re fighting together in two days and he looked like he was about to pass out.”

“He’s just shaken up.” Peter assured her. “He hasn’t so much as seen a wolf challenge in a long time, let alone received one himself. In fact he’s never received one as he wasn’t born an Alpha. Have you seen one Chandra?”

Chandra nodded. “At the Ranch.”

“And what happened?”

“The Alpha killed the challenger.” She answered. “Is Scott dead?”

“No. He’s perfectly fine. Derek forced him to submit without having to kill him.”

“What was the challenge reason?” Joe asked.

“He didn’t like that Derek was restricting them as he is. He screamed a lot of bull, mostly along the lines of Derek being the reason Stiles is gone which is quite a step back as this is what they did at the beginning before starting to just lame themselves instead. He’s too thick to realize that Derek’s trying his best to put things back together and that by just staying away he’d actually be helping by giving us time to heal before bringing these packs together again.”

“Someone needs to explain it to him.” Joe said.

“I tried.” Peter said, shrugging his shoulders. “He just flashed his eyes at me and told me to shut up and challenged Derek.”

“Try harder.” Chandra growled. “We won’t hold back if he comes here again.”

**

Sam led Derek to the bed and helped him sit.

“Do you need anything?” She asked, hearing the worry in her own voice.

Derek shook his head, unwilling to talk.

“Alright. Then come here.” She scrambled onto the bed and sat against the headboard, holding her arms out to him. “Come here Derek.”

Derek just sat completely still, shaking slightly.

Sam sighed. “Alright then.” She sat away from the headboard and shifted to her wolf shape. She nudged his shoulder and his hand came up automatically to rub her muzzle. Derek made a choked off sound in the back of his throat and Sam nudged his shoulder. There was a bit of shuffling but soon they ended up with Sam curled around Derek while he leaned against her side, soothed by the rise and fall of her body as she breathed. Sam wrapped around Derek and set her head in his lap so he could rub her head while he collected himself.

Neither spoke as Derek took a deep, slow breaths, matching Sam behind him, and rubbed Sam’s head. He scratched behind her right ear as he spoke in a shaky voice.

“I almost killed him.” His voice was quiet and shaky and Sam could hear the fear in it. “I almost killed a member of my pack.”

Sam nudged his stomach in comfort and gave a whine.

“I’m a monster Sam.” He ground out through gritted teeth. “I hurt everyone I care about. I’m weak and it gets people hurt. I’m the reason my family burned. Laura died because I let her come back alone. I killed Peter. I drove the pack away when I was with Jennifer. This is all my fault. I’m poison.”

Sam whined and nudged him again before pulling away and padding over to a drawer. She turned back to blink at Derek and nudged the drawer.

Derek scrunched his eyebrows but got up and walked over to pull the drawer open. Inside was two leather journals. One said ‘Joseph’ on the front and the other said ‘Samella’. “Yours?” Derek asked, already reaching for it.

Sam nodded and then turned and went back to the bed.

Derek picked the journal up and carried it back to the bed, sitting back down the way he had been. He opened the front cover and looked at the drawing on the first page. It was of a girl on a hill with a wolf at her side. Her right hand was resting on the wolf’s head and her hair was flowing out to her left as if there was a breeze blowing it. All around the pair was a multi-colored light, reaching into the sky, centered around the girl.

“That’s you isn’t it?” Derek whispered. “You and Joe?”

Sam nodded.

“Does Joe have the same one in his journal?”

She shook her head at that.

“Can I look at his?”

She hesitated for a moment and then nodded.

Derek stood again and went back to the drawer, pulling Joe’s out and looking at the first page.

This picture was of the same wolf, this time facing the viewer, its eyes glowing red. It was huge and dark brown with silver on its muzzle and paws with silver markings around its eyes as well. The girl was behind it, facing away from the viewer, but with a hand stretched back to rest on the wolf’s back. The light was still stretching out from the girl but the focus of the picture was obviously the wolf. It was drawn with great detail and Derek could see the protectiveness and love in its gaze, as if protecting the girl it loves from the viewer.

Derek shut the journal and put it back quickly, unable to look at the love any more.

“These are gorgeous.” Derek whispered, looking at Sam’s again.

“Thank you.” Sam whispered.

Derek started at the sound of her voice and turned to see her human again, lying on the bed. “Did you draw them?”

Sam nodded. “Each member of my coven has one at the start of their journal. They’re what I think of when I think of that person.”

“Joe’s love and protectiveness. Your magic and Joe.” Derek said.

She nodded and beckoned him over. “Come back here.”

Derek walked over and this team he curled into her side when she opened her arms for him.

“Open it to the first page again.” Sam whispered.

Derek did so and she pointed at the girl. “This is me.” She moved her finger to the light and the wolf. “This is my magic and my mate.” She looked at Derek. “Two things that I value. The light’s colors are the colors of my coven, the third thing I love. Joe’s is of me and him. He’s a very protective person.”

“I’ve seen that.” Derek whispered. He traced his finger down one of the drawn lines and sighed. “Why are you showing this to me?”

Sam didn’t answer, just reached over to the side table and grabbed the sketchbook sitting there. “When I can’t sleep, I draw. Some drawings never get finished because I lose interest and some I can’t stop drawing until they’re perfect.” She flipped open the sketchbook, laying it over her journal, and turned the pages to a drawing. Derek made a small, choked off sound in the back of his throat at the sight of the drawing. He knew who the drawing was meant to represent. Him.

The picture was of a huge black wolf the white markings on its muzzle its only color. Well that and the white trisekele on its side. Its eyes glowed bright red, staring straight at the viewer. The wolf had a snarl on its face, standing protectively over a figure in jeans and a red hoodie. Anyone looking at the drawing could tell that the wolf loved the figure and was protecting him from an unseen enemy. In the background there were more wolves but they weren’t the focus. The wolf and the figure in red were. The wolf looked strong and confident in his skin, ready to do anything.

“Stiles likes my drawings.” Sam said. “He sees all of them. Except the ones in this sketchbook. These are the ones he doesn’t see.”

Derek nodded and reached out to trace a finger along the wolf and then touched the red. The figure’s face was hidden but Derek knew those body lines. “Stiles.” He whispered.

Sam nodded. “When I think of you I see this. The love and protectiveness you have for that boy and your pack. You love that pack, but he will always be the most important to you.”

“This is amazing.” Derek whispered. “It feels like me. But it looks so strong.”

“And you are strong.” Sam insisted. “Every time I look at you I see strength and power and loyalty inside you. You are one of the greatest Alpha’s I’ve ever seen. This is you Derek. Every bit of it. You’re strong like this wolf. You just need to realize it and embrace it.”

Derek took a deep shaky breath, nodding slowly.

“You know Stiles thinks it’s strange that we’re so close. That I trust you so much.”

“Because he doesn’t trust me.” Derek sighed.

“No, because he thought I would hate you.”

Derek looked up at her, confused.

“Derek I’ve never gotten along with people. I became friends with Stiles because we were both hurt. I spent most of the first month as a wolf and that’s how we got close. Joe told him my story and he told me his. He figured I’d hate you when we got here but in reality, I knew I wouldn’t. I met your sister once. Laura. She came to visit the Ranch shortly after your parents died. She liked talking to me as a wolf. She told me all about her baby brother and how the fire was affecting him.”

Derek chuckled.

“I knew you long before Stiles came to us. So I knew there was no way I was going to hate you. Yea it certainly seemed like it at the beginning but that was because I couldn’t connect you with Laura. I couldn’t connect an Alpha that let his pack drive his unclaimed mate away with the strong, confident, girl Laura was. But then I really met you and I see her in you. You’re loyal and brave and stronger than most people. You went through a hell most people can’t even imagine and you didn’t let it change you. You’re still loyal. You’re still brave. You’re still strong. You still love even though you were hurt. You still let yourself fall in love with someone even though you were scared. You’re still _you_ Derek. That’s what matters. Sure, maybe you’ve made mistakes, but now that doesn’t matter. The past makes us who we are but we can’t let the past create our futures. Or all we do is go in circles.”

“You’re really smart, you know that?” Derek commented, pulling away enough to turn and look straight at her.

Sam grinned. “You sound like Stiles the first time I calmed him down after a panic attack. He sounded just as shocked as you just did.”

Derek smiled. “But if I’m strong, why did Scott challenge?”

“Because Scott’s blind.” Sam answered. “He can’t see how he affects others. He doesn’t see how his presence hurts Stiles. He’s still stuck in the past, when he and Stiles were all each other had. In his mind, it’s okay for him to have new friends, but Stiles can’t. Stiles still has to be the weak human boy he was when this all started. 147 pounds of skin and bones with only sarcasm to protect him. Now he’s bigger, stronger, and has his magic to keep him safe but to Scott he’s still the weak human. Scott doesn’t see that you’re keeping him away from us not only to protect him and the others but also to protect Stiles. Scott can’t see the pain he causes. He’s blind to it. To all of this. As far as he can see, you’re just jealous of him. He thinks you’re standing between him and his best friend because some new person in town told you to. He doesn’t see my reasons or your reasons.” Sam shrugged. “When this is all done we’ll have to talk to him, but for now we’ve strengthened our wards and you gave an Alpha order. My previous wards were too weak. Scott is still slightly connected to me and the ward felt it. One of my sisters added a layer that they won’t be able to get through no matter how hard they try. We’re safe.”

Derek sighed and curled back up to her. “Doesn’t Joe find it weird that you keep smelling like me?”

Sam laughed. “He knows you’re cana. He doesn’t mind.”

“What does that mean? Cana. May called you that and I’ve heard you call Stiles and the others that as well. And the others downstairs call each other that frequently.”

Sam smiled and set her head on Derek’s. “Literally it translates as little wolf or cub. To us it means sister or brother or child. It’s said with love and trust. It’s something you say to pack. When someone is cana, they’re pack.”

“I’m pack?”

Sam chuckled. “Derek you’ve been pack to me since the day I threatened you and rather than cowering in fear like everyone else I’ve ever had to threaten, you stood tall and took it in stride. You forgave your pride to summon me on the full moon to help you with that first earth giant. You forgave it again to come to this house after a panic attack when you needed to be near Stiles’s scent. You let me calm you down. You opened up and I opened in return. You sat down with me and told me every single thing you’ve ever heard about giants being controlled when I knew nothing. You’re one of the driving forces behind our fight on Saturday. You’re pack Derek. There’s no denying that.”

Derek smiled. “Cana.” He whispered. “Pack.”

Sam grinned, chuckling a bit. “Yes Derek. Pack.”


	19. One Day

“I’m not going to school.” Stiles declared, walking into the kitchen. “Tomorrow’s going to be a mess and I need a day.”

“I already called us all in sick.” Sam said. “Your dad and Chris are both informed and will cover for us. Today’s a day for pairs, friends, and pack to spend together and ready themselves for tomorrow.”

Stiles looked over at Allison. “Spend the morning with me? Please?”

Allison smiled and nodded. She looked over her shoulder at Seth, whose lap she was sitting on. “Spend the morning with the boys. I’ll meet you at the tree at one.”

“Deal.” He said, smiling and kissing her nose.

“Good.” Sam said. “Then get going.” She held out a basket to Stiles. “Breakfast for you and lunch for both of you. See you tonight.”

Stiles grinned and Allison and he ran from the house, heading for the forest.

“Are you sure they’re safe?” Seth asked Sam, looking worried.

She smiled softly and nodded, glancing at Joe and May. “Safer than most of us will be today.”

**

Stiles and Allison ended up on the beach, deep in the forest. Allison laughed as she set the basket down and spun in a circle, arms out and head facing the sky, absorbing the heat and freedom the sky had to offer. Stiles smiled as he watched her and pulled out the amulet May had given him. He whispered the words she’d taught him and dropped it onto the sand next to the basket. He felt the power flow from it as it set up a barrier a good distance out so he could enjoy his day without risk of his old pack or giants coming near.

“Stiles!” Allison called.

“What?” He called back, looking up.

Allison was standing in the shallow water, already stripped down to the swimsuit she’d worn under clothes, a grin on her face. “Swim with me?”

Stiles laughed but pulled his shirt off and ran to join her in the water. The two quickly ended up in a splash war and Stiles flashed his eyes blue, making a massive wave wash over Allison.

“Hey! No cheating!” She screamed.

“It’s not cheating! Just using my resources!” Stiles crowed back  happily.

Allison growled and tackled Stiles, knocking them both into the water. They came up spluttering and Stiles shook his head, spraying the water off. Allison just slicked her hair back and grinned at him.

“Hungry yet?” She asked.

“Starving.” Stiles answered. “Lunchtime truce.”

“Deal.” Allison said.

They were both breathing heavy from playing as they flopped onto the beach. Allison reached out and dragged the basket a few feet so they could both reach it and they dug into the sandwiches Sam had sent them with.

“Stiles?” Allison said after a while.

“Hm?” Stiles hummed through a mouth full of food.

“What do you think’s going to happen tomorrow?”

Stiles swallowed his food and sighed. “Honestly? I don’t know. I know what I want but what I want to happen and what does happen seem to be mutually exclusive things these days.”

Allison gave him a sad smile and nodded. Then she turned onto her side, having finished her sandwich, and took a swig of the soda Sam had sent. “What do you want then?”

“I want to wake up Sunday morning surrounded by our pack, everyone alive, everyone okay, and I want to wake up in Derek’s arms. I don’t know why but for some stupid reason he’s all I’ve been able to think about lately.”

“You like him.” Allison wasn’t asking.

“Yea. Yea I think I do. And it freaks me out Ally.”

“Why does it freak you out? Is it because he’s a dude?”

“God no! Ally you know I’m gay as fuck!”

Ally laughed. Stiles had told her on their way to Wisconsin that he’d been over Lydia for a while, especially over her as he realized he much preferred the genitals of his partner to dangle.

“Anyways, I came to term with liking guys. But dude have you seen that guy? He could snap me like a twig if he wanted to.”

“What if he doesn’t want to?”

“I don’t think he does.”

“Then why are you scared?”

“Because I’m me Ally. I suck. I’m the weak little human, remember? He’s smart and strong and amazing. Even Sam likes him. He’s the source for almost all the knowledge we have on controlling giants and he’s going to be fighting with us. No outsider has ever fought with us. And now him and Peter are and there has to be good reason, right? Sam and _May_ like them enough to let him in. He’s perfect. He could have the pick of pretty much every girl in town with the way he looks. Why the hell would he choose me?”

Allison groaned and flopped onto her back. “Stiles you are so fucking gone on that guy and blind as a bat.”

“Shut up Ally.” Stiles said, throwing his sandwich wrapper at her. “He doesn’t like me back. I’ve accepted that.”

She just laughed and then propped herself up onto her elbow again. “Stiles?” Her voice was nervous now, unsure.

“What Ally?” Stiles laughed.

“What should I do with Seth?” She asked, biting her lip.

Stiles looked at her, confused. “What do you mean?”

“Well, like, we’ve claimed each other and stuff but well, should I bond with him?”

“Do you want to?”

She sighed. “I don’t know.”

“And why not?”

Allison glared at him.

He just smiled back. “Ally I can’t tell you what to do.”

She sighed. “You sound like Sam.”

Stiles smiled. “Allison what do you want to do with Seth?”

“I don’t want to lose him. Ever.”

“And?”

“And I don’t know beyond that.”

“So don’t decide now. Ally you’re not even eighteen yet. You don’t need to make this decision now. You’ve got time.”

“Yea. Yea I guess you’re right.”

“Of course I’m right I’m a genius.”

Allison just rolled her eyes and threw his sandwich wrapper back at his head.

Stiles laughed and dodged it, letting it hit his throat instead. “I’ve missed hanging out with you.”

Allison smiled. “Same here. We haven’t really had just one day for ourselves lately.”

“We went to the mall.”

“With Sam and Joe. And only for a couple hours.”

Stiles nodded in acceptance and opened his arms up. Allison wriggled over and curled up next to him.

“See?” Allison said. “I missed this. Just being able to sit together and not be worried about fighting or potentially being killed.”

Stiles chuckled. “Yea. It’s been too damn hectic.”

Allison laughed and nodded. “It better calm down after this.”

“Or what? Gonna shoot someone little Huntress?” Stiles teased.

“Gonna shoot you little Red.” Allison declared.

Stiles tapped his fingers along Allison’s side and she flinched away, giggling.

“Stop it.” She laughed.

“Nope.” Stiles said, continuing to tickle her, starting on the other side to.

“Stop!” Allison squealed, laughing and pulling away. She reached out and took revenge, tickling Stiles as well.

Stiles laughed and just tickled harder. The two of them dissolved into giggles, rolling around on the sand, before ending up lying side by side, breathless and laughing.

“You know what we need?” Stiles asked.

“What?”

Stiles stuck out his hand and his eyes glowed green as a deep red rose bloomed in his palm. It was gorgeous with a beauty that only came when something was born of magic. “Faith.”

“Love?” Allison asked, knowing what was coming.

“And pixie dust!” Stiles exclaimed. He threw the rose into the air and his eyes flashed a brief green as it changed to sparkling dust and floated down over them.

Allison laughed. “I still love the fact that _that_ was the first earth spell you ever showed me.”

Stiles grinned. “You remember.”

“Course I remember. You were so damn excited to show me a spell and then you did that. It was hilarious.”

“I think my water spell was the best though.”

“I ended up drenched! In a white t-shirt!”

Stiles cackled. “Yea but then you met Seth!”

Allison glared at him, but she was grinning as well. “That does not mean you can just drench people Stiles.”

Stiles just gave her a grin and then pushed to his feet. “Come on. I want to swim some more before we have to start back.”

Allison sighed. “I think I’m just gonna sit here Stiles.”

“Really?” Stiles asked. “Really wanna do that?” He flashed his eyes blue again and a ball of water pulled out of the lake, floated over to Allison, and dropped on her.

She opened her eyes and sat up spluttering. She focused her gaze on Stiles, face angry but eyes laughing. “Run boy.” Her voice held no trace of the laughter in her eyes and she sounded completely serious and completely deadly.

Stiles let a totally manly squeak and ran for the water.

 

Hours later, when they were both finally exhausted and they were heading back, Stiles gave Allison a soft smile.

“What’s that for?” Allison asked.

“Because I know we’re going to be fine. We’re all going to survive this. And then you and Seth are going to go at it like rabbits while the others wince and I laugh because I won’t be able to hear it.”

Allison laughed. “Hey you never know. Maybe you’ll find someone to do what rabbits do with.”

Stiles rolled his eyes. “There is only one person I’d play rabbits with and there is no way they’ll agree.”

“I still find it funny that neither of you two are innocent, yet you both refuse to say sex.” Seth commented, melting from the trees in front of them.

Allison grinned and kissed her boyfriend in greeting.

“What do you mean I’m not innocent?!” Stiles exclaimed. “I’m a virgin!”

“Yes Stiles, you’re a virgin with one of the most impressive porn collections I’ve ever seen.” Seth said. “You’re defiled in all ways _except_ the physical.”

Stiles blushed, ducking his head.

“Stiles you know it’s true.” Allison said.

“Doesn’t mean he has to say it! Or acknowledge it any way!”

Allison rolled her eyes and tugged Seth’s arm. “Come on. Stiles’ll take the basket back to the house. Right Stiles?”

“Yea yea.” Stiles said, waving his hand. “Get out of here you two.”

Allison and Seth both grinned before vanishing into the forest again. Stiles sighed, grabbed the basket, and headed for the house. He loved that Allison had found someone after Scott. She’d been pretty upset after the split but meeting him really helped. It helped even more when they claimed each other. No one at the Ranch cared who she was or what her family did and that was something she hadn’t felt before.

He heard a noise behind him and listened carefully, keeping his body language, heartbeat, and walking the same. Then he waved his hand as he spun on his heel, eyes flashed green, and an earth spear shot towards the person following him. Right as it left Stiles’s control, he saw who it was. Derek. He had just enough control left to slow it down a bit as it sped towards Derek.

“Shit!” Stiles exclaimed as Derek dodged it and then looked at him, eyebrows raised. “Sorry!”

“Why’d you try to impale me?” Derek asked, looking a little scared.

“You can’t sneak up on me like that! Especially not right now!”

“Sorry.” Derek said, walking over and picking up the basket Stiles had dropped. “I just wanted to talk.”

“About what?” Stiles asked, instantly wary.

“You.” Derek answered, starting to walk next to Stiles as they headed back towards the house.

“What about me?” Stiles asked, more wary now.

“What you plan to do after this is over.”

“What do you mean?”

“Stiles right now there’s two packs here and you’re in the middle of them. So I’m asking which pack you think you’re going to stick with.”

“I don’t know Derek.” Stiles said. “I really don’t. I’m just trying to survive this weekend and then I’ll think about the about the future.”

Derek nodded. “That’s fine I was just wondering.”

“Derek, how are they? The pack?”

Derek sighed. “They’re not doing too good. Since the incidence with Scott coming here and the tattoos they’ve all kind of been drawn into themselves. They’re all hurting though. That much I can feel.”

“Is it strange being away from them?”

“Sort of. Having Peter here is helping though.”

“Chandra said it feels weird if everyone isn’t there.”

“She’s right. It just feels like something’s missing. It’s not a bad feeling though. Just different.”

Stiles nodded thoughtfully. “What does it feel like?”

“Like something’s missing. Like when you turn to say something to someone but they aren’t there.”

“I know how that feels.” Stiles whispered.

Derek could hear the raw pain in Stiles’s voice and threw all caution to the wind, stopping to pull the young mage into a tight hug. He didn’t say anything, just held him tightly for a moment before letting go and heading inside, leaving Stiles in the backyard, blinking in shock.

Stiles looked at the backdoor that Derek had vanished through and mouthed to himself ‘What the fuck?’

“Stiles!” A girl called from the kitchen window. “Come in here! We need your help!”

“You better not have lit something on fire!” Stiles warned, heading for the house.

“Well, uh I could tell you we didn’t, but I’d be lying!” The girl called back.

“For fuck’s sake Sophie!” Stiles shouted, now running inside.

“Sorry Stiles!” Five voices called.

Stiles burst into the kitchen and was astonished. It was a mess. There were ingredients everywhere and the stove was on fire. Stiles ran to the sink and started it running before flashing his eyes and directing the flow of water at the pan on the stovetop. The fire went out and Stiles turned the sink off, turning to look at the five teenagers in the corner.

“Start explaining.” Stiles sighed.

“We were trying to bake a cake.” Sophie said sheepishly.

“How did that involve a pan on the stove catching on fire?”

“I wanted bacon.” One of the guys said.

Stiles sighed and rubbed a hand over his face. “Thomas you are an idiot.”

Thomas shrugged sheepishly. “I like bacon.”

Stiles sighed loudly. “Alright. Thomas clean up your pan, you four start cleaning the flour of the ceiling. Like seriously, there is more batter on the ceiling than there still is in that bowl.” Stiles said, looking at their set up on the counter.

The other four ducked their heads and got to work cleaning while Thomas took the pan to the sink to scrub.

“Why are you making a cake anyways?” Stiles asked, pulling out new ingredients to start a new cake. “We aren’t you out with Sam and Joe for the morning? I thought everyone was splitting girls and guys to spend time together.”

“We stayed behind to watch the house.” Sophie said, shrugging. “I don’t really like large crowds of strangers and these guys stayed to keep me company as none of us like too many strangers around at once. Colin went though. He loves crowds.”

Stiles smiled. Sophie’s mate, Colin, was one of the most outgoing wolves on the planet. He loves to meet new people and get new scents. The exact opposite of shy, closed in, Sophie. But it worked.

“We know Sam loves chocolate cake so we wanted to make one for her and Joe tonight for their date because they’ve done so much for us over the years.” Sophie explained. “She helped me during my first shift and I know she’s really stressed right now with all this.”

“That’s nice of you.” Stiles said, smiling. He looked at the others. “And you three?”

“She helped me find an anchor.” Adam said, smiling. “Even let me use her for a couple moons until I got back to the Ranch and could bond with the pack.”

“She helped me figure out that Rachel was my mate.” James said. “My magic was out of control til she stepped in.”

“I just like making cakes.” Rachel said smiling.

Stiles laughed. “Alright. Well clean up, I’ll mix this up and get it baked and then you four can help decorate, alright?”

The four of them grinned and nodded.

“Good. Then clean.” Stiles ordered, cracking the eggs. “And quickly. Sam’s coming back from her day with the girls at four to get Joe and go on their date. We’ll follow behind with the cake and give it to the restaurant and then we’ll get out of there before she senses us.”

Sophie kissed Stiles on the cheek. “Thank you Stiles.”

Stiles just gave an adorable grin and kept mixing.

**

“No! James the frosting goes on the cake not on your mate!” Stiles exclaimed, his scolding ruined by his laughter.

James just grinned and licked the line of green frosting off Rachel’s cheek.

“Ewwwwww!!!” Stiles, Sophie, and Adam squealed. “PDA! PDA!”

The couple just stuck their tongues out at the other three.

“I think we’re done anyways.” Rachel said.

Stiles nodded, looking at their work. “We done good guys.”

The others nodded their agreement, grinning.

“Okay quick we gotta clean up.” Sophie said. “Stiles hide the cake.”

Stiles gave Sophie a mock salute, grabbed the cake, and ran up to his room, flashing his eyes white to get rid of the scent of the cake. He flashed them again to create a bubble around the cake as he slid it under his bed before flopping down on top of the bed right as he sensed the girls reenter the property. He hopped off his bed and plodded downstairs to give his required hugs.

As soon as he stepped off the stairs he was pulled into a hug by one girl and then he was just passed through the group, giving everyone a hug before ending in Sam’s arms.

“Hugs all around!” He said happily squeezing her.

Sam laughed and hugged him back before looking towards the front door again. “Are the boys not back yet?”

“They’re on their way.” Thomas said. “Joe called and said they’d lost track of time.”

Sam rolled her eyes. “I swear that boy is late to everything.”

“No that’d be you darling.” May said, coming out of her room.

Sam chuckled and blushed a bit, but everyone knew May was right. Sam was never on time for anything. Everyone looked up as they sensed the guys come onto the property and Sam grinned. “Be right back down!” She exclaimed, racing up the stairs. She came back down with a shoulder bag and a ball of twine. She tossed the twine to one of the girls, Mary, with a smirk on her face. “Enjoy!” She crowed before running out of the house, past the guys going in, and jumped into the passenger’s seat of the car Joe was driving before they sped off.

“Let’s go!” Stiles exclaimed, racing back upstairs, the four wolves on his heels, leaving the others extremely confused. He brought the cake out and they ran back downstairs.

“Cake?” One of the guys, Stiles couldn’t tell which one, said hopefully.

“For Sam and Joe.” Sophie said, warning in her voice.

“That’s kind of you.” May smiled.

“Find a cover.” Stiles ordered, looking at James and Rachel.

James instantly and triumphantly held out a cake container.

Stiles grinned and they got the cake in before smiling at the others and running out.

“They’re a strange bunch.” May commented as they left.

“They’ll only get stranger.” Zach pointed out.

“Yes.” May said. “I look forward to it.”

**

Sam and Joe were finishing their dinner when their waiter brought the cake box out.

“Oh we didn’t order any cake.” Joe said.

“This was delivered by a disturbingly hyper teenage boy and four others.” The waiter said. “They said you had to be given it.”

Sam and Joe looked at each other and nodded at the waiter. He set the cake box down and pulled the top off. Sam started laughing hysterically. It was a wolf and a girl with lights around her, obviously the two of them even though it was done with frosting by people who obviously didn’t know what to do because it was stick figures with smears everywhere, and all around them were what appeared to be hearts of all sorts of different colors.

“That is amazing.” Joe said, chuckling.

“I can’t believe them!” Sam said, laughing.

“Shall I cut you slices?” The waiter asked, looking appalled at the state of a cake he was serving.

“Yes please.” Sam laughed. She reached across the table and grabbed Joe’s hand. “This is the best date night ever.”

“Now let’s just hope they didn’t poison us.” Joe joked.

Sam laughed. “Stiles would never dishonor the baking gods like that.”

Joe laughed. “I like how that’s what would stop him, not that it’s us.”

Sam shrugged. “It’s true.”

Joe pushed his foot forward and hooked it around hers. Their other feet were already hooked and had been for most of the night, but now both sides were together and they were both smiling.

The waiter cut the cake and Sam laughed. It was chocolate, her favorite.

**

Scott sat back down next to Isaac, curling into his boyfriend’s side, and looked dejectedly at the TV again. They were trying to have a pack movie night but without Derek and Peter it didn’t feel right. It felt like there was an even bigger piece missing than there was. And there was already a large piece missing with Stiles gone.

Isaac rubbed Scott’s back comfortingly, scenting that he was sad and he knew why.

“They’ll come back.” Isaac whispered to Scott. He knew the others were watching them now but he was focused on Scott. “Derek and Peter and even Stiles. They’ll all be okay.”

“Why’d they have to leave?” Scott whined.

“Why did who have to leave?” Isaac whispered gently, as if to a spooked horse.

“Derek.” Scott whispered back. “Peter. Allison. _Stiles_.”

“Stiles left because we made him leave.” Lydia whispered. “Allison left because she followed Stiles out. Derek and Peter left because they’re going to fight with Sam and Stiles and their pack tomorrow and needed to not smell like us for that. It all makes sense Scott. It’s our fault they’re gone. It can all be traced back to us.”

Scott made a small choking sound in the back of his throat and Isaac increased his comforting.

“It’s okay Scott.” Isaac whispered. “It’s okay. Everything’s okay. Everyone is okay. They’ll all come home Scott. They’ll all come home.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A bunch of you wanted more Derek and Stiles interaction so I hope you enjoyed that as well as the rest of the chapter. I'd love to hear your thoughts on it *hint hint wink wink*


	20. The Binding

Stiles lay still as Sam took the thick, black Sharpie to his skin. He was lying on her bed in just his boxers as Sam crawled around the bed, drawing rune after rune across his skin.

“Who’s going to do you?” Stiles whispered.

“May.” Sam whispered back. “And I’m doing hers.”

Stiles nodded. Both of them were ignoring the elephant in the room. That they were getting ready to go into battle. That today they might be forced to kill. That they might die. They both knew it, but neither was going to be the first to say it.

“Sam?” Stiles broke the silence again as Sam drew on his right leg.

“Yes Stiles?” She whispered back.

“I love you.” He said it quietly, as if it was a secret. Or as if he was scared that saying it out loud would make something bad happen.“You and our coven.”

Sam smiled as she finished a swirl and sat back, spinning the marker between her fingers. “Stomach.” She said.

Stiles rolled onto his stomach, pillowing his head on his arms, and looked back at her. “Sam?”

“I love you to Stiles.” Sam whispered, sounding for once like the broken and vulnerable nineteen year old girl she was. “You know that.”

Stiles nodded. “I know. I just wanted to say it. Before tonight.”

Sam squeezed the back of his leg tightly, nails biting into his skin. “Don’t.” She choked out. “We will make it through tonight. We all will. I’m not letting anyone else die because of Eli.” Her voice was low, almost a growl.

Stiles twisted and sat up to give her a tight hug. “We’re not going anywhere cana.” He whispered softly in her ear. “Never in a million years.”

She nodded and then pushed him away. “Lie down again. I need to finish this.”

Stiles did as he was told and neither spoke until he left and then it was just a simple ‘I love you’ before Stiles went to his room to get ready and Sam went to May’s to get runed up. Stiles took a deep, shuddering breath as he shut his door and leaned against it. He could feel a panic attack on the edge of his mind so he closed his eyes and breathed deep and slow as he felt out the connections he held with his coven and let their presence in his mind sooth away the panic. He ignored the two new threads he could feel in his mind, unwilling to go near them, but he knew there was no getting rid of them. Derek and Peter were a part of his life now and he didn’t regret whatever decisions had made it that way. He liked having them there. A part of his past that he could hold onto without the pain that comes with seeing his old pack. He could feel both of them worrying but he couldn’t deal with that right now. He couldn’t deal with the feelings he’d been ignoring for months. Not when he was so close to his own panic attack.

There was a knock on his door and he jumped away from it, his heart hammering.

“It’s me Stiles.” Joe’s voice came through the door.

Stiles wrenched the door out of the way and fell into his covenmate’s arms. Joe moved them both back inside the room and shut the door before hugging Stiles tightly in return. Stiles let the warmth of Joe’s werewolf body soak into him as he let go and the panic attack he’d been holding back rushed through him as he gasped and sobbed into Joseph’s shoulder.

“Just breathe Stiles.” Joe whispered, rubbing Stiles’s back and trying not to smudge the carefully drawn symbols. “Just breathe. You’re going to be alright. We’re all going to be okay.”

“I can’t.” Stiles stuttered out. “I can’t lose you. Any of you.”

Joe nodded. “I know Stiles. Trust me I know. I’d rather die than lose you guys.”

They both fell silent as they clung to each other, letting the panic and pain make its way through them and out.

As Stiles stopped shaking he pulled away and turned around. “Do I need to track down Sam again?”

Joe looked at the marks and shook his head. “No you’re alright. None of them look smudged.”

Stiles sighed in relief and sat on the bed. “I don’t know what I’m going to do Joe.”

“What do you mean?” Joe asked gently, sitting down next to him.

“When this is all over May’s taking the others back and it’ll just be us again. Just us and the pack. And I don’t know which side I’m supposed to be on. I love you guys but I still love them as well and I’m just so fucking confused Joe. I don’t want to leave Derek and Peter. Actually I can’t because they’re already in my head and I don’t _want_ to give them up.”

“What do you want?”

“To be friends with them again?” Stiles tone was questioning as he looked up at Joe. “I don’t even know. I just know that I don’t want to lose everything again. I want to keep some of my past in the past and some of it in the present and future with me.”

“You don’t need to decide right now.” Joe reminded him. “We’re not walking off to certain death never to return. We’re going out, we’re killing that bastard, and then we’re coming home. You ca think about them later. You’ll have time.”

Stiles nodded. “Okay. Okay I can do this.”

“Yes. You can. Stiles you’re one of the strongest people I’ve ever met, possibly the strongest, behind Sam of course. You have no fear when it comes to protecting your family and the people you love. It’s amazing.”

Stiles smiled softly. “Thank you Joe. For coming up here.” Stiles knew how much panic attacks gave Joseph anxiety. Everyone did. He had panic attacks most often after someone else had one as seeing them lose control sent him into a panic.

Joe smiled back. “I’d do anything for my coven Stiles. And that includes you. And if you need me by your side during a panic attack, then that’s where I’ll be.”

Stiles couldn’t say anything in response to that, just threw his arms around Joe again, clinging to him. Joe hugged him back, patient and willing to sit there as long as necessary for Stiles to feel okay again.

“You gonna be alright?” Joe asked as Stiles pulled away again.

Stiles nodded. “Yea I’ll be fine. I’m not right now but I need to get ready for this so I’ll fight through it for now.” He gave Joe a small smile. “I’m good. Thanks.”

Joe nodded and got to his feet. “If you need anything else, just shout. We’re out in the forest warming up but I’m tuned enough to you to hear if you need me.”

Stiles smiled a little bigger. “Okay. Thanks.”

Joe nodded and slipped out the window, giving Stiles one last grin before dropping to the ground below and heading for the forest.

Stiles sighed and got to his feet. He pulled off the shorts he’d worn back to his room and walked over to his closet in just his boxers, looking for the outfit Sam had gotten him to wear. He dug his way to the back and pulled out the sealed box, taking it over to the bed and staring down at it. It was plain white, almost like the boxes you get clothes in at Christmas time, except the flaps to open it were sealed completely to the bottom, making it impossible to open.

 _‘Are you okay?’_ He heard Chandra ask in his head. _‘Even Allison can feel your unease.’_

 _‘I’m fine.’_ He answered, concentrating solely on her thread in his mind and sending his voice down it. They’d just managed to perfect it with May and Sam’s help. _‘I just have a bad feeling about today. Something bad is going to happen.’_

_‘You don’t know that Stiles.’_

_‘No. I don’t. But I still feel it.’_

_‘Allison says you’re just paranoid.’_

Stiles snorted. _‘Maybe I am. I don’t know or care. I’ll be fine though. Once all this is over.’_

 _‘Alright.’_ Chandra said. _‘Well us girls will leave you alone then.’_

_‘Who drew on you?’_

_‘Sam. Before she did you.’_

_‘I bet they’re gorgeous then.’_

_‘They always are when she does them.’_

_‘Very true. Very, very true.’_

_‘Talk to you when I’m done.’_

_‘See you later Red.’_

He smiled at the name and cut the connection off, coming back out of his head to stare at the box. May said once they were better trained they’d be able to speak completely in their minds without spacing out in the physical world like Sam and Joe do, but for now he and Chandra both freeze when they talk in their heads. Which doesn’t matter in the house, but could be fatal on the battle field.

He reached out and ran a hand along the box, sighing. “Oscail.” He muttered.

The box glowed blue-grey for a moment before the flaps unsealed themselves and the top lifted open. Stiles took a deep breath before taking the clothes out and beginning to get dressed.

**

Derek was with the other wolves, watching them nip and growl at each other but there wasn’t any fire in their eyes. They were just warming up, getting used to their second skins. Joe came back and gave Derek a small smile.

“Stiles is fine.” Joe said.

Derek relaxed, letting out a breath he hadn’t known he was holding. When Joe had stiffened up and said Stiles was panicking about something before taking off towards the house Derek had been close to having his own panic attack. But Stiles was okay. His mate was fine and it totally didn’t matter that it was Joe, a wolf mated to someone else, who had comforted his mate. It didn’t matter at all. Or at least, that’s what he’ll keep telling himself.

“We need to start getting the pups back.” Joe continued. “Sam’s almost done preparing the mages and we’ll need to combine before we head out.”

Derek gave him a curious look, not knowing what he meant by combine, but Joe just smiled.

“It’s alright. It doesn’t hurt. Most of us find it extremely pleasurable.”

Derek was a bit more worried now by the smirk on his face as he turned to the pups. Joseph growled low, flashing his eyes and they all froze.

“House.” He ordered.

They all nodded and took off towards the house, still nipping and playing with each other.

“Why do they play?” Derek asked as he and Joe followed behind them at a nice leisurely pace to make sure they all stayed on the right path.

“Because they know that tomorrow they won’t be able to.” Joe answered. “They know that some of them may never play again. They know that tonight may be the end and they won’t go down frowning. They’ll go down with the memories of today and the fun they had with their packmates and the happiness they felt. If they die, they die, but they don’t de unhappy.”

Derek nodded. “That seems like a good philosophy.”

Joe smiled. “Sam started it. With the first battle against Eli. She took everyone out for dinner and we had a great day together and just ignored the fight ahead. It was one of the best days of my life.”

Derek smiled. “Mom used to do that with us. She’d tell us a different pack was coming to see us and that it might result in a fight and then we’d go out to the lake for the day and spend it with pack and family just being us. There still some of the best memories I have of them.”

Joe laughed. “Sounds like something Sam would do.”

“I think she’d get along well with my mom.”

“I do to.” Peter said, sliding in next to his nephew. “Sam reminds me a lot of my sister.”

“In a good or a bad way?” Joe asked, looking at the older wolf.

“Good. Definitely good. I loved my sister.”

Joe smiled and nodded. “Good.”

They stepped out of the forest in the backyard to see that all the pups were already there and gathered in a circle, gaps between them all and one big gap in one part.

“Stand over here.” Joe said, leading the two Hales to the big hole. “Stand far enough apart so someone can stand between you and the person next to you.”

“And then what?” Peter asked, standing on Joe’s left while Derek stood to his right.

“And then we wait for the mages.” Joe answered, smiling slightly before closing his eyes and falling back into his head.

The back door opened a couple minutes later and Sam led the way out, Stiles and Chandra right behind her followed by the dozen other mages. But all Derek could see was Stiles. He was dressed in simple black pants and an ugly blue and grey stripped shirt but he looked more beautiful than Derek had ever seen him. His arms were covered with dark markings but Derek’s eyes skated over them as he watched Stiles’s muscles flex under his tight shirt as he walked. It was the tightest thing Derek had ever seen Stiles wear.

“Staring.” Peter muttered, just loud enough for Derek and everyone with supernatural hearing to hear.

Derek glared at him automatically but that gave him a chance not to look at Stiles until he was standing next to him.

Stiles gave him a soft smile as he stepped up on his right and looked around him at Sam, who was standing to Derek’s left. “Ready when you are sis.”

Sam chuckled and reached out to grab Joe’s hand. Joe grabbed Chandra’s hand, who was next to him. She in turned grabbed Peter’s hand and it flowed around the circle, the mages linking the wolves together. There was a small break when it reached May on the other side of the circle as she bowed to Sam before taking the next person’s hand and it kept going. When it got to Stiles he gave Derek a smile and grabbed his hand. Derek turned to his left to take Sam’s hand but she was fighting with a bag as she pulled the clothes of the other pack that Derek had brought over out and threw them into the circle. Then she grabbed Derek’s hand and everyone gasped as power flowed through the complete circle, connecting them all.

“We bind the mages and bind our power.” The wolves said. Derek and Peter found themselves saying the words even though they had never spoken them before and no one had taught them. They just knew what to say. “Beast within us. Moon above us. Anchors within us. We call upon the powers inside us whether possessed through birth or through bite we call upon them now.” All the wolves shifted to their beta forms, breathing heavy. “We bind ourselves to the mages among us. We swear to protect them with our lives from all that threatens.” The wolves were all panting hard now, eyes glowing all around the circle, as they continued. “We give ourselves over to the rulers and trust them with our power. We take on the burdens of their pasts and free them from their bonds. We summon the spirits to us in order to defeat the enemy tonight.” The wolves stopped, panting as if they’d just sprinted a mile, as if they were barely constraining their wolves.

“We bind the wolves and bind our power.” The mages spoke together, their voices echoing with power. “Air above us. Earth below us. Water around us. Fire within us. We call upon the elements and our birth-given power. We bind ourselves to the wolves among us. We swear to protect them with our lives with all that threatens.” All around the circle the mages opened their eyes to show them glowing with the power they all possessed. “We take these covens and we take these packs and bind them together under one common rule.” Derek noticed that Sam stopped speaking as the other mages continued. “We give ourselves over to the rulers and trust them with our power. We take on the burdens of their pasts and free them from their bonds. We summon the spirits of the elements to us in order to defeat the enemy tonight.”

All across the circle the mages looked towards Sam, moving their heads as one.

“We give ourselves to you.”

Sam took a deep breath. “I bind myself to the power of the world around me and become the center. I accept the consequences.”

All the wolves around the circle howled towards the sky. The mages let their powers flood the sky with colored ribbons of their power. Everyone watched Sam as silent tears ran down her face and she looked up at them all.

“Tonight, we fight.”

As if she’d cut a string everyone fell to their knees, letting go of each other’s hands, panting, as the spell set in.

“What is this?” Derek gasped.

“The spell I told you about.” Sam answered, her voice weak. “To increase strength and power and skill we bind ourselves to each other. If one dies, another gains their power.”

“And you?”

“I am the fulcrum. The center. All the power flows through me. It is my burden for bringing war onto my family. May took it on last time but this is my fault. And I will bear the pain.”

“But what does that mean?” Derek demanded.

“It means she’s risking death.” Stiles spat out. “If she gets hurt tonight, she won’t have enough power to heal.”

Sam sighed. “Stiles we talked about this. Why are you so worried when even my mate isn’t?”

“Oh no I’m worried.” Joe said. “I just know better than to argue with you.”

Stiles pointed at him. “See?! I’m not the only one terrified for your safety.”

“Stiles I’ll be fine.” Sam said. “I always am.”

“Please knock on wood.” Stiles begged.

Sam sighed but leaned over and whacked Derek’s head. “Something hollow works to.”

Derek glared at her. She just grinned back.

“Sam?” Chandra whispered, coming over.

Sam looked up at her and smiled. “What’s up baby?”

“Can we?” She asked.

Sam chuckled. “Alright come here everyone!” She shouted. As soon as the words left her mouth she was buried under a pile of wolves, cats, and mages. Derek chuckled and Joe rolled over the pile to drop down next to the other alpha.

“How do you feel?” Joe asked.

“I’m alright.” Derek said. “Nothing feels different.”

“Just wait until the power sets in.” Joe smirked. “By the time we fight we won’t have any thoughts besides protecting these mages. Well that and saving our own hides but that’s a given.”

“And we’ll have no thoughts but keeping you silly shifters alive.” Stiles teased.

Joe playfully glared at him. “At least I’m not in an ugly shirt.”

Stiles stuck his tongue out at him.

“What’s with the shirts anyway?” Derek asked.

“They’re our powers. The red shirts specialize in fire. The blue shirts in water. The green in earth and the gray in air. Any mix and it’s a mixed mastery.” Stiles explained. “I’m air and water so Sam made me this ugly shirt embedded with bits of nature’s power to help me in a fight. She thought it’d be hilarious to make it so ugly.”

Derek laughed a bit. “It’s appalling.”

Stiles smiled and shrugged. “It’s my battle shirt for today. She’ll probably end up making me a new one once I fully master.”

“When do you do that?”

“Two years of training usually. So a little over a year and a half to go.”

“Why was Sam in purple? And May as well?”

“They’re masters. It marks them as the leaders. Someone to protect at all costs.”

“May is the leader and Sam the fulcrum. Losing them would cripple us all.” Joe said and then looked up at the sky. “The weather’s changing. It’s almost time.”

Derek looked up as Peter walked over and both Hales looked at the sky. Before they did the spell the sky was clear and sunny but now it was cloudy and getting darker.

 “Don’t fight it when it happens.” Joe advised. “All the shifters are paired with a mage who will help you keep control but we will be lost in the beast. We find we fight best this way and we don’t fight it anymore. Derek you’re with Stiles. Peter you’re going to be with May.”

“Why?” Peter asked.

“She wants to keep an eye on you.” Joe said. “I’m with Sam. Mates are paired together unless they are off the same power and then they are paired with another couple of the other kind so they fight as four. Once the sky finishes darkening it will be time. Most likely we will lose control immediately. I will have slightly longer as I’m mated to the center but you will lose control. Both of you. Don’t fight. Let go and let your instincts and the magic that is now inside you lead your way.”

“We’ll be fine.” Stiles said, smiling at Derek. “Sam wouldn’t pair us up without reason.”

Derek nodded stiffly, pretty sure he knew why Sam had put him with Stiles and he didn’t like it. Well he liked that she paired him with his mate but not so much that she was forcing them to talk and be together when it was clear to Derek that Stiles just wanted to be friends, not even good friend. But he could already feel the pull on his wolf and was slowly losing control. He concentrated on the sounds around him to control it a little longer.

“I’ll see you in the morning.” He heard Seth whisper to Allison.

“You better come home mister.” Allison warned.

“I always will.” Seth promised, his voice already growing hoarse as his shift began and he tried to stay by Allison and away from the mage he was bound to. Derek heard the growling go down a bit and knew the mage had stepped closer so Seth could say goodbye.

“In the morning?” He heard Chandra say to Zach.

“Always.” Zach promised, sounding so sincere that Derek knew Chandra would be calmed.

“You better keep me safe.” Chandra warned.

He heard Zach laugh. “I always will. You know that.”

“I do.” Chandra said. He could hear tears in her voice now. “I do know that.”

“We don’t have long.” Joe sighed. He reached up around his neck and untied the leather necklace Derek had never seen him without. He held the pendant in his hand and smiled down at it before holding it out to Stiles.

“Keep her safe?” He asked.

Stiles smiled and nodded, taking the necklace.

Derek and Peter both wanted to ask about it but growls were coming from the pile next to them and Joe calmly gestured for them to get up and move away as the pile blew outwards. Shifters and mages were scattered around the yard, but in pairs. Each shifter was paired with a mage and they all looked strange. The mages were calm and collected while the shifters were all shifted out, whether into beta form for the wolves or full cat form for the shapeshifters, snarling with eyes glowing and far gone.

“Stiles.” Derek said. His voice was low and he was fighting for control. Already his eyes were glowing and his fangs were out.

“Don’t fight.” Stiles reminded him.

Derek closed his eyes and concentrated on the heartbeat next to him. Stiles’s heartbeat. He took a deep breath in, and let the power take him.

He saw Joe shift in front of him, eyes glowing bright red, and both of them turned to look at Sam. She was standing now, her hair down around her in a pair of jeans and a purple shirt on. She had the same markings on her arms that Stiles had on his but hers were glowing softly.

“Joseph?” She whispered.

Joe growled and walked over, hugging her tightly.

“I’ll see you in the morning.” She whispered, hugging him back tightly.

“Morning.” Joe grunted.

Anyone watching them could see that they loved each other. They could see the trust Joe gave Sam and the trust Sam gave back. They trusted each other completely to the point of giving up control to the other. They were comfortable giving up their control to each other because they were anchors. They knew that within the other their power would be safe.

The two of them hung on to each other for a little while longer before separating, but they didn’t look away until Stiles cleared his throat. Then Sam looked at him.

“We’re ready when you are.” Stiles whispered.

Sam looked across the clearing where May was standing, Peter behind her. May nodded and Sam sighed.

“It’s time.”


	21. Protect Me

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey guys! So this chapter is going out to Corwin who emailed me and made my day last week so this is dedicated to them and I hope you all enjoy it:)

Sam led the way through the forest, Joe at her side. May and Peter were a little behind her to the right and Stiles and Derek were on the left. Chandra and Zach were behind her aways and Seth was with his mage partner, Emily, a bit behind them. All around them were pairs of shifters and mages, walking together and getting used to the bond before the fight starts.

Sam stopped as she reached a tiny clearing and bowed her head. “I don’t want to fight Eli.” She called out into the trees.

“Too bad.” Eli answered coldly, stepping from the trees in front of her. “Because I do.”

“Why?” She asked. “Why can’t you just let me go? It’s been five years Eli. Why can’t you just let me go? Why are you so set on _me_?”

“Because you have raw, untapped power inside you and it’s going to be mine.” Eli hissed. “You’ve finally mastered all four elements. You’ve finally created a vast reservoir of power inside you. You’ve finally stepped into the shoes I knew you would. Now your power will be mine. I will _not_ let you go again.”

Sam shook her head. She didn’t look angry or upset by his words. She looked sad. Disappointed. Like she regretted this all. “I will never give you my power Eli. And you do not have the power to take it from even my dead body. Never in a million years will my power run through your veins.”

“I don’t need you to give it to me. I have the power to take it.” He snarled the words out and his face contorted, horns sprouting from his forehead.

“Eli.” She whispered. “What have you done?”

“I am the demon under your bed Samella.” He whispered, his voice low and creepy.

“You made yourself into a demon.”

“I made myself into power!”

Sam took a step back with a sigh, unwilling to get into a shouting match with him but even more unwilling to bow down to him as she always used to. “If you want a fight, you’ll get one. But I am done bowing to you.”

Eli smirked. “Good. That’s exactly what I want.” He raised his hand and dropped it. Behind him the forest rumbled with the steps of the giants.

Sam kept her head raised and faced Eli with pride. “I will not bow to you.” She repeated. “Never again.”

She stood her ground as the giants burst from the trees.

“Protect.” She told Joe, who stepped in front of her, as she raised her hands. Her eyes flashed red as an earth giant burst from the trees and she nailed it with a fireball. Behind the burning body a huge crowd of giants poured and Sam and Joe faced them together, feeling their pack and coven around them.

“Here we go.” Sam whispered. She and Joe lunged forward together, joining the fray.

 

All around the clearing mages and wolves were fighting the giants with ease.

One wolf was knocked aside by an air giant and then instantly the wolf’s mage impaled it with a dozen earth spears, killing it.

One earth giant charged at a four person team of two sets of mates, roaring. The wolf and lion in the front roared back as the mages behind them, one in red and the other in grey, flashed their eyes. The mage in red, James, created a fire ball and the mage in grey, Rachel, blasted it towards the giant.

One fire giant launched a fire ball at a mage and another one knocked it aside with a blast of air, knocking it straight into an earth giant and killing it.

A wolf wove around the feet of a water giant, distracting it, before a mage in a grey shirt stepped forward and blasted it apart.

Elizabeth, the mage Stiles had thrown fire balls at, stepped into the tornado of an air giant. She let it spin her around for a moment as roots grew up and wound around her legs before she suddenly locked herself in place. The tornado fell apart instantly and the giant atop it fell onto the earth spear Elizabeth held at the ready.

Two mages in bright blue shirts worked together as their shifters, a cougar and a lion, distracted giants around them. They moved as one, controlling the water left behind from a water giant dying, forcing it up into the air before splitting it into almost five dozen different spears that separated into six sections and flew down to spear six fire giants, killing them.

“You won’t win Eli!” May shouted as a fire giant exploded behind her, the blue fading from her eyes.

Eli laughed. “Oh Maylaha. Yes I will. I knew you and your little children could defeat giants with ease, but let’s see how you face against your own kind.” He had an evil smirk on his face as the forest behind him shook again and between the legs of the giants still pouring from the trees came a crowd of big cats, wolves, and humans with glowing bright eyes.

“Shit.” Sam said, appearing next May with Joe at her back.

“Your call.” May responded.

“Wolves take them down!” Sam shouted. “Mages kill anything you can!”

They all threw themselves into the battle even more ferociously, slashing and blasting anything they could, trying to make a dent in the seemingly endless army of Eli.

Stiles fought fiercely, Derek guarding his back. He fought without thinking, letting his power and his weapons move on instinct rather than thought. He knew he couldn’t think right then and he knew he didn’t have time. He just did. He couldn’t keep track of who was at his side but he fought easily with everyone, shifting and dodging and throwing his power in tandem with them. One moment it was Chandra at his side and the next it was Seth and then Sam and May and Elizabeth and Rachel and James. All he could feel was his power and all he could see was the enemies around him. And then he heard words that chilled his heart.

“I have to use the blade.”

He spun towards Sam and found her a few feet away, watching him. And for the first time since she began the spell that afternoon, she looked scared. She looked absolutely terrified. She knew the consequences of what she was thinking about and knew Stiles knew them too and she was terrified of it.

“You can’t.” Stiles answered, grabbing her shoulders. “You can’t leave me! I’m not losing you!”

“What are you planning now Sam?” Joe asked, dropping his shift.

“Protect me Joe.” Sam answered. “I have to do this.”

“No!” Chandra exclaimed across the battlefield, hearing their conversation. “You can’t Sam!” She and Zach ran over and she stood in front of her teacher, tears on her cheeks. “You can’t. You can’t leave us. You can’t!”

“I’m sorry Chan.” Sam said. “I have to. It’s the only way to save you all.”

“What are you doing?” Joe demanded.

Sam shook her head and pulled a knife from her belt. It was covered in runes and even the blade had runes on it. She took a step back from her coven and gave them a small smile. “Protect me till the end?”

“We always protect you.” Stiles answered, knowing there was no way to stop her. His voice broke as he spoke and although he wasn’t crying, they could all see he was going to soon enough.

“Not to put more stress on you but I could use a little help!” Derek shouted, fending off a lion, two cougars, and a male beta wolf. He was guarding the group of them as they gathered around Sam.

The others immediately began fighting, creating a circle around Sam as she looked down at the blade in her hand. She thought back to when the old woman in Kansas had given it to her on her seventeenth birthday and sighed. _‘You will know what to do when the time is right.’_ The woman had said. And now, standing on a battlefield as her friends and family fought for their lives, she knew.

She looked over at Eli and sighed. “You made yourself a monster.” She said.

“You don’t understand!” Eli screamed, wind whipping his clothes. His calm composure from before was gone. Now he looked feral and uncontrolled. “You’ve always had everything! You had your parents and then I gave you everything so that when the time came you would do as you were told. But you took one look at the stupid werewolf boy and left me. You left me for a monster. An _abomination_!”

Sam shook her head. “I left you because you ordered me to kill my mate. You knew who he was. You knew that I would leave you for him. That I would never be able to hurt him after seeing his face. And that killing him would break me so completely I’d be utterly at your mercy. And when your plan failed, you fell apart. You tried to kill me at the Ranch two years ago and now you stand here, in this forest, backed by _giants_ , against the same people who fought and defeated you then. You made yourself into a monster to fight against people you consider monsters. You may not be able to see it, but I do. I see the greatness and perfection of the wolves every day. I am proud to be mated to one and I know plenty of mages and humans who feel the same. Wolves are loyal. And protective. And brave. They face heartache and betrayal with strength and courage. They are more human than you are. You are no longer anything _remotely_ human Eli. I am ashamed to have ever been associated with you.” She looked at Joe. “Protect me.”

“Please don’t.” Stiles begged. He knew what she was doing, why she was so calm in the face of so much danger. He knew why her heartbeat was no longer pounding through her as it was through everyone else. He knew why her heartbeat was calm and slow. Relaxed. He knew what she was about to do. And he didn’t want her to do it. He didn't want to lose her.


	22. Sacrifice

She knelt down and held the blade in front of her, point barely touching the earth.

“Air above me. Earth beneath me. Water around me. Fire within me. I am a Master of the Elements and I call on their power now.” She whispered. The blade began to faintly grow as she continued the spell. “I call upon them and summon their power to me. I am the fulcrum of a coven spell and the center of the power. I am connected to mages and wolves and shifters and I need to keep them safe.” A bright bubble appeared in the air around her.

“Sam stop!” A mage, it sounded like Elizabeth, screamed. “You can’t!” Elizabeth ran over only to be bounced back by the bubble. It was a shield.

Sam ignored the shouts as her eyes began to glow and her power overtook her. “I take the power of nature inside me and send them into this blade. I take the power within me and place it inside the metal. I embedded this blade with all that I have. I know the consequences of my actions and except them willingly. I dump my power willingly. I take this blade up with no hesitation and I do so willingly.” She stopped and looked up at Joseph as he turned to look at her. He’d realized what was happening and there were tears in his eyes and flooding down his cheeks, but he couldn’t get close to her. He couldn’t pass through the shield. Sam looked up at her mate, tears in her own glowing eyes. “I’m sorry Joseph.” She whispered. “But it’s the only way.”

“I love you.” He whispered.

She smiled slightly. “I love you to. Always have and always will.”

Joe nodded, tears streaming even faster now. His throat was closed and he couldn’t speak, but she could read his pain in his face.

“Please don’t do this.” Stiles begged. “Please. I need you. You’re my anchor. I need you here. You still have more to teach me.”

“May can teach you Stiles.” Sam answered.

“No.” Stiles begged. “I want you to teach me. You promised you’d teach me. You promised Sam. You promised.”

“I’m sorry Stiles. I can’t keep that promise.”

“Have you finally decided to give in to me?” Eli sneered, appearing nearby.

Sam looked at him. “I will never surrender to you.”

“Then pray tell, what are you doing?”

Sam looked down at the blade and then lifted it up, spinning it in her hand so the point was facing towards her. She looked back up at Joseph. “I’m sorry Joseph. I’m so so sorry.”

“No.” Joe choked out, tears making it hard to speak but needing to say the words. “Please. Please I can’t lose you. I can’t. I won’t make it without you. I _need_ you. Please.”

Sam looked at the blade again as she held it out in front of her. “I have to Joe. It’s the only way to win.” She didn’t look up again as she raised the knife.

Sam swung the knife towards her chest and Stiles screamed, the world narrowing around him. He was aware of the other shifters and mages around them, protecting them, but he barely registered them. All he could see was the blade speeding towards Sam’s chest as she breathed her last breaths. He watched it sink itself into a grey shirt and the blood flow out onto the fabric. Wait. Grey? Sam’s in purple. He pulled his eyes away from the blade and saw Rachel lying on Sam, blade in her chest. She’d thrown herself between Sam and the knife and Sam had driven the blade deep into her chest. Sam’s hands were shaking as she realized what had happened.

“RACHEL!” James screamed, his voice raw with pain and loss and he could hear screaming as the blade began to glow.

“Rachel.” Sam gasped. “No. No. Rachel!”

The blade glowed brighter and brighter until it flashed and everyone was forced to look away. When the light died down James rushed forward, falling to his knees next to Sam and pulling Rachel’s body to his chest. Sam slipped out from under her and stood, looking around the clearing. Everyone was looking back at her. The flash had disintegrated all the enemies and when she looked where Eli had been standing, all that was left was a pile of clothes and ash.

“It’s done.” She said quietly, tears streaming down her face as she looked at James. She looked away from him and at Joe, across him.

Joe had tears in his eyes and he was gasping from the pain everyone could feel pouring off of James. But Sam could see the relief in his eyes that she was still alive, even if it meant Rachel was gone.

Stiles jolted her gaze from Joe’s as he jumped into her arms. He clung to her tightly, tears pouring into her shirt.

“ _Don’t ever do that to me again_.” Stiles warned in her head. It didn’t feel right saying it out loud with James right there. The threat was somewhat ruined by the tears in his voice and on his face as he pulled away to look at her.

Sam nodded and then looked back at James. She fully pulled away from Stiles and reached into her boot, pulling out a sword. She saw Derek and Peter’s surprise where they were standing nearby, hands on the other’s shoulder to reassure themselves their family was okay, but she just ignored them and held the sword up in the air.

Stiles was quick to copy her, pulling his own sword out a boot way too small to fit it and holding it up towards the sky. Both his and Sam’s sword glowed with a pure, silver light.

Across the clearing mages pulled swords from their boots and held them towards the sky.

“Táimid onóir siúd chaill muid inniu.” Sam whispered.

“Táimid onóir iad.” The mages around the clearing responded.

Together, as one movement, every mage spun the sword so it was point down and plunged it down, burying them hilt deep in the soil.

Joe threw his head back and howled loudly, letting out all the pain and sadness and grief he felt. All around them the air filled with mournful howls of the wolves and shifters as they looked towards the sky, now clear and filled with stars.

Sam was knelt on the ground, hands still on the hilt of her sword, when Stiles knelt back down in front of her.

“Sam.” He said gently. “I’m here. It’s okay. I’m here.”

Sam shook her head slowly and looked up at Stiles. Her eyes were still glowing bright. Stiles watched as the light faded and she fell to the side.

“Joe!” He shouted.

Joseph was there in an instant, picking up his mate and cradling her in his arms.

“Allison.” Seth gasped, walking over. The connections had all broke and everyone was weak. “She’d have heard the howls. We have to get pack.”

Stiles nodded and looked at Derek, who was swaying only a little less than the other shifters as he was an alpha but he was still affected. He felt something well up in his chest but looked away before he could think. While Sam was out he was in charge. He looked around the clearing, taking in all the weak mages and shifters around him. He could already see the swords the mages buried turning into the saplings of the huge oak trees they’d be in less than a week. The mages were weak, leaning on each other, trees, or the shifters. The shifters were just as weak, looking almost dead on their feet.

“Let’s go home everyone.” He said quietly. He walked over to James and put a hand on his shoulder. “Come on James. It’s time.”

James shook his head, still crying over his mate’s body.

“James.” May said gently as she walked up. “Sweetie it’s time.”

James looked up at her, tears pouring down his face. “I can’t let her go.”

“I know how it feels James.” A girl whispered, walking over. “Remember? I lost John last year.”

James looked at her. “Does it get easier?”

“No. But you get stronger.”

James stood up and fell into the girl’s arms.

“Anna.” Stiles whispered. He’d heard the story of how she lost her mate and that isn’t something anyone should have to relive.

“I’m fine Stiles.” She answered. She held James tightly as everyone watched. Finally she pulled back and made him look at her. “Do you need me to do it?”

James shook his head quickly. “No. It has to be me.”

Anna nodded and stepped back. “We’re all right here.”

James nodded as he pulled his own sword from his boot. He knelt back down next to Rachel’s body and looked down at her. He brushed the hair from her face and wiped the blood from the corner of her mouth. He reached out and wrapped his hand around the hilt of the blade still in her chest. He yanked it out and threw it aside, not carrying where it went. He leaned down and pressed a kiss to her cold forehead before hefting the sword, pointing it up. “Mé onóir a mo bhean chéile.” He whispered before twisting the sword and plunging it through her chest, directly through the hole the blade had made when it killed her. “Ní bheidh mé dearmad di.” The blade glowed green as James stepped back and fell back into Anna’s arms.

She rubbed his back comfortingly and they all watched the sword quickly transform into a sapling that quickly grew to cover Rachel’s body. The tree grew fast and unabated, growing huge in only a few moments.

“A Nemeton has been born.” May whispered. “May the lost never be forgotten.”

“Never forget.” Everyone whispered weakly.

On the tree a symbol appeared, burnt black against the bark. Everyone, including Derek and Peter, recognized the symbol. For centuries it has been placed on graves of mages who die nobly. It was an intricate Celtic knot shaped like a flower in bloom.

Stiles walked over and laid a hand on James’s back. “It’s going to be okay James. We won’t forget her. Not ever.”

James pulled away from Anna and looked at Stiles. He nodded once and then looked at the tree that had swallowed his mate. “I need to go. We need to go.”

“I’m going back.” Seth told Stiles. “I can feel Allison’s panic.”

Stiles nodded. “Go. Quick as you can but don’t push yourself too hard. We’re all going to be weak for a while.”

Seth nodded and hurried into the forest. All the others started after him until it was just Stiles and May in the clearing by the huge tree and surrounded by swords turning into trees.

Stiles looked at May. “I don’t know what to do Aunt May.”

May gave him a soft smile. “None of us know at first. We must learn by doing.”

“I can’t. I’ve always learned with research.”

May shook her head. “Magic and leadership are not things you learn by reading. You learn by doing. You learn by casting a spell too strong and knocking yourself out for a few days. Or by giving a bad order and letting the enemy escape. You learn from your mistakes Stiles. That’s how we all learn.”

“Not Sam.”

May chuckled and took his arm, beginning to lead him through the forest. “Sam made plenty of mistakes in her life Stiles. Today is probably going to be another in her mind. And I have plenty of guilt about mistakes I’ve made. And so does Boris and Chandra and Seth and Zach. And so does Derek. Mistakes are made constantly Stiles and we all feel guilt about our mistakes. But they shape us into who we are. Without mistakes, we wouldn’t be us. We would be monsters. Perfection isn’t perfect.”

Stiles looked at her. “Sometimes it’s scary how much you and Sam remind me of each other.”

May laughed. “Well I was the first female influence she had in life after her parents’ deaths. And I was her teacher.”

Stiles sighed. “I feel like all I’ve done lately is make mistakes.” He admitted it quietly, as if he was slightly ashamed of it. “I feel like leaving the pack was a mistake and then not rejoining them was a mistake and now I’m pulling Derek and Peter from them as well and it all seems like one huge mistake that I can’t fix.”

May stopped and turned him to look at her. She stared at him with kind eyes and a soft, open smile. “Stiles you did not make a mistake. They hurt you. Maybe it’s a mistake to keep pushing them away, but that is for to decide. This is your life Stiles. You must be the one to run it.”

Stiles sighed. “I can’t.”

“Yes you can. You are a mage. One of the strongest I’ve ever seen. You need training and practice but soon you will be the master of two elements and you will have amazing power. You are also one of the most stubborn people I have ever met and I married someone related to Victoria. He was raised in a hunting family until he was bitten and then he ran because he was too stubborn to believe that just because he isn’t human anymore, means he has to die. And yet you rival him in stubbornness. Stiles you can do anything you put your mind to, you just have to believe.”

“Like with spells. Or mountain ash. I believe it’ll work and it does.”

“Exactly.”

Stiles nodded, taking a deep breath. “I just have to believe that this is all going to work. I can do that.”

May smiled. “I know you can. Sam’s going to need you now more than ever. Today is going to change her and I don’t know how bad this is going to get. But I do know that you are going to need to be by Sam’s side for this. You two are going to need each other.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Táimid onóir siúd chaill muid inniu. - We honor those we lost today.  
> Táimid onóir iad. - We honor them.  
> Mé onóir a mo bhean chéile. - I honor my wife.  
> Ní bheidh mé dearmad di. - I will never forget her.  
> I'm extremely rusty on this language. If you know a better translation then please don't be afraid to tell me. Thanks guys:)


	23. Loss

Everyone stumbled home and they all went to bed in their own rooms. Mated pairs curled up in bed together and lazily cuddled the other just to assure themselves and each other that it was okay.

Joseph carried Sam up to their room and curled up on the bed with her, holding her close. His wolf was still in mid-panic from watching his mate drive a blade towards her own heart when he couldn’t do anything to stop it. Every time he closed his eyes he was seeing it and all he wanted to do was hold her tight and never let her go again.

Allison grabbed Seth by the hand as soon as they got back and dragged him up to their room. Everyone heard the quiet sobbing that came from the room at first as Allison released all the worry she’d been holding since she heard the howls. Now they were curled around each other on their bed, legs tangled under the covers. Their foreheads were pressed together as they looked down at their hands intertwined between them. Seth was rubbing his thumb over her knuckles, reassuring her that he’s still there. That he’s okay.

Chandra and Zach were in their room, curled up together, still coming down from the battle high. Zach was lying on his back with Chandra pressed against his side with her head on his chest. Every heartbeat she heard beneath her calmed her own heartbeat, which in turn helped Zach calm down more. Their hands were together in front of her face and as she traced a finger along his palm lines, she sighed. They were okay. They were safe. They made it.

Sophie and Colin were in their room of the extension, pressed together on the bed. They’d been bonded with James and Rachel as they were both shifters and James and Rachel were both mages. Sophie had felt Rachel die. She’d felt their battle bond break. She was still crying as she came back from the place of pain she’d gone. Colin just held her tight to his chest and swore to himself that he would never let her go again.

Derek was sitting at the island in the kitchen, claws extended and sitting on the table. He was holding back tears as he tried not to think about how it would feel to lose Stiles. He has thought about it before. Every time Stiles gets seriously hurt Derek is forced to face that his mate is not as impervious as he is. That one day Stiles will get hit and he won’t get back up. And today was one of those times. Every time he saw something, anything, whether it was a giant or an enemy mage or shifter, he couldn’t think. He killed mages today, people that may have had families or mates of their own maybe even kids, to protect Stiles and he didn’t regret it. And he knows he won’t ever regret killing to protect Stiles. That’s what he wants to do. Even though he can’t tell Stiles about his feelings or Stiles being his mate, he will protect him. Until his last breath.

Peter was still outside, sitting in the yard and looking up at the stars. He knew what it felt like to lose a mate and tears ran down his face as he remembered his wife. He’d never tell anyone but it’s not a pain that ever goes away. James will always feel like it was his fault Rachel died and there’s nothing he can say to make it better.  Peter cried in silence as the pain that he’d felt every day since the fire coursed through his body with the same intensity as the day she died. He’d avoided the pain for so long, putting on a smile and moving on, that he’d forgotten what it felt like at full strength. And now he was wishing he had someone to talk to. But he didn’t. He was alone.

Stiles wasn’t able to stay in his room. He couldn’t be alone after that. He needed to be with someone. He got to his feet and padded from his room, heading downstairs. He knew he couldn’t be with Sam, that Joseph needed to be alone with her after what happened. And he knew the others would need to be with each as well, so he was going to be with the only other person he could think of being with tonight. Stiles walked into the kitchen and stopped to look at Derek, sitting at the island where he’d sat down as the others went to their rooms. Derek looked back at him and both of them agreed silently on holding the silence. For the first time since his mom died, Stiles had no desire to talk. All he wanted was silence. He walked over and sat down next to Derek, staring at the countertop as well. Neither moved for a bit until Stiles reached over and set a hand over Derek’s. He tapped the claws in a silent message and Derek pulled them in. Stiles gave him a small smile and entangled their fingers together, holding tight. Derek gave him a gentle squeeze that Stiles responded with in kind. They both knew something had changed during the fight. They’d been inside each other’s heads and they knew they needed to talk, but it wasn’t the time to talk. That could happen later, when everything was calm.

May walked into the extension of the house and walked down the hall that said ‘James&Rachel’ on the door in Rachel’s cheery hand writing. She pushed open the door and stepped inside to find James sitting on the floor by the foot of his bed, spinning a gold ring in his hands. A diamond ring. He looked up at May with tears and pain and pleading for it to not be real all burning in his eyes. She walked over and sat next to him, wrapping her arms around him to pull him to her chest. She didn’t say anything. She knew speaking isn’t what he needed right then. All James needed was a comforting presence and someone to hold while the pain of losing his mate wracked through his body. And May could be both. So she sat there in silence, holding her student tightly to her as he cried. And she cried. She cried for the loss of Rachel. She cried for the near loss of Sam. And she cried for the loss of the peace they’d lived in for so many years. She knew that peace was over. She knew that things would never be the same. She knew James would never be the same. And she cried for the past as she looked towards the future and saw even more pain on the way.

And all through the house only two sounds were heard. The sound of crying. And the sound of heartbeats. Reminding them all that while death is present all around them tonight, so is life. They are alive. Their hearts still beat in tandem, a beat of uneven drums. They survived and now they will suffer because of it.

**

The next morning everyone woke early and no one spoke of the night before as they all gathered in the living room. They didn’t speak as the piled together with blankets and pillows. There was never a time when someone wasn’t in contact with someone else. They all needed to reaffirm to themselves and their powers within them that the pack was fine. The coven was missing someone now, but those that remained were fine. Sam looked up as May walked in, smelling of James and his sadness, but the woman shook her head. James wasn’t ready to join them yet.

They watched movies all morning, happy ones where no one dies, and soon enough they were all asleep, sprawled across the living room in a giant web of physical contact. Sam was the only one still awake as she extracted herself from the puppy pile in the living room with practiced ease and silently padded down the hallway, heading into the extension. She walked partway down the hall and sat down outside a door whose sign had been ripped down in anger.

“I miss her to you know.” She whispered. “I know what I’m feeling isn’t anything compared to you but she was one of my best friends. She was one of the only people I felt comfortable talking to about anything. And she died in my arms. Because of me. If I hadn’t chosen to use the blade she’d still be here. I wish I hadn’t. I wish I’d been the one to die. I loved her like the sister she was and I never wanted her to die, let alone in my arms because of one of my choices. I’m not asking you to forgive me, but I don’t want to lose you to. Please.” Sam let her head fall backwards against the door behind her. “I’m sorry James. I’m so fucking sorry.”

There was shuffling inside and then she heard James’s heartbeat even closer on the other side. He was sitting right behind her, leaning against the door as well.

“It hurts.” He whispered. His voice was hoarse from screaming and crying but Sam still relaxed a bit at hearing his voice.

“James I’m so sorry.” She said.

“No.” James whispered back. “It was my fault. All my fault. I didn’t stop her.”

“You didn’t know.”

“I did. You didn’t. She looked at me, smiled, and said goodbye.” He was having difficulties just saying the words and Sam could tell he was holding back full sobs at this point. “And I wasn’t fast enough.”

“No.” Sam choked out. “You couldn’t have stopped her. We both know that.”

“I could’ve tried!” He screamed. “I could’ve tried to stop her! I could’ve tried to _save_ her!” The sobs he’d been holding that were ripped from him and Sam sat in the hallway, head against the door, listening to him. Silent tears rolled down her face as she finally let herself cry for her covenmate. As she finally let herself cry for one of her best friends.

**

Stiles stepped out of the trees and smiled sadly when he saw Sam sitting on the ground in front of the new Nemeton, looking up at it. She had the blade that killed Rachel in her hands and was playing with it slowly.

“I figured I’d find you here.” He whispered, walking over to sit next to her. “Joe was worried when we all woke up and you were gone.”

“I can still feel her blood.” Sam whispered, bowing her head to look at the blade. “I can still feel its warmth. I feel as if it’s stained on my hands and I’ll never get it off.”

Stiles reached over and took her hands in his. He took the blade and set it aside before gripping her hands tightly. “Sam there is no blood. Maybe it feels like it but her blood is not on your hands. It was not your fault. It was not James’s fault. She made a choice. And we’d do best to honor it. I don’t want to lose anymore pack.”

Sam looked at him, tears on her cheeks. “I can’t do this anymore Stiles. I can’t keep running from the past. It keeps catching up. I can’t run fast enough.”

“Then stop running.” Stiles whispered. “Turn around and face it. Head on. We will stand at your side against anything Sam. You just have to let us. Instead of dragging us along for the ride.”

Sam looked into his eyes and saw calmness. He was sad about losing Rachel and worried about losing Sam and James, and he was terrified of what he knew was going to come now, things always come when they’re already hurting, but at the very center of his being, where all his emotions and logic and feelings are balanced, he was calm.

“You found your center.” Sam whispered.

Stiles nodded.

“Who is it?”

“I think you already know that.”

“Are you going to talk to him?”

Stiles nodded. “Tonight. Before he leaves. I’m kind of sick of losing him. Or I guess almost losing him. I haven’t lost him yet.”

Sam smiled through her tears. “He’ll be good for you.”

“Yea. He will. But right now he is not my concern. You are.”

Sam looked back at the tree. “Two Nemetons in one town will not end well.”

“And we will face the consequences together.”

Sam nodded slowly. “Pain is coming Stiles. Even more than we’ve ever felt before.”

Stiles sighed. “Sam. Stop with the threatening stuff. This isn’t about the town. This is about you and the fact that I can feel you wishing to have that blade in your hands again.”

Sam looked at him sharply. “She’s dead because of me.”

“She’s dead because she chose it!” Stiles exclaimed. “She’s dead because she weighed her life against yours and found hers to be worth less! I wish she wasn’t dead too but crying and killing yourself will not bring her back! All it will do is tear this family even farther apart!” Stiles took deep breaths, regaining his calm before speaking again, his voice even and calm. “You need to think about Joseph. Think about all the pain and suffering that boy has gone through. Do you want to be the cause for him to break completely apart? Because if you leave him, that is what will happen. You are his glue and he is yours. You hold each other together and you know it.” Stiles reached into his pocket and pulled out the pendant Joe had handed him the day before when the shift was setting in. “Joe gave this to me yesterday as his shift set in so it didn’t get broke in the fight. I tried to give it back to him this morning and he told me to give it to you. And to tell you to remember your promise.”

Sam took the pendant and ran her fingers along the smooth black stone. The rune drawn on the top glowed white before fading back to silver. “Shìyán.” Sam whispered.

“Chinese for Promise.” Stiles translate. “Joe told me the story.”

Sam closed her eyes, squeezing the stone in her hand as she brought it to her face and pressed the edge to her lips, remembering that day. It was the week after they arrived at the Ranch and May wanted her to choose something to be her anchor. She’d chosen Joseph. And then when May told her to let her magic go, to let it anchor itself to Joe, she’d created this stone. A promise to always be there.

Sam raised her hand to her neck where an identical pendant usually hangs but she hadn’t put it on that morning. “I made a promise.”

“You lost a friend and James lost a mate but we all lost a covenmate. We feel her loss to. Don’t break your promise just yet Sam.”

Sam looked at him, tears drying up, and nodded. “I’m not going anywhere Stiles.”

Stiles smiled. “Good. Because I don’t think Joe or I could handle it if you did.”

Sam smiled slightly. “We should go back to the house.”

Stiles nodded but instead of getting up he reached out and tapped on Sam’s collarbone, right where her coven tattoo is. “Remember what this means to me. We’ve experienced loss Sam. Now it’s to time be reborn from the ashes as a stronger being.”


	24. Changes and A Promise

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I am going to apologize now for the lateness of this chapter I didn't have internet all weekend and couldn't post and now I feel really bad but here's the chapter and hope you enjoy!

“Scott would you shut up for one minute?!” Derek growled into his phone. He and Peter were standing outside the coven’s house, getting ready to head back to their pack. And that was when Scott had decided to call.

“Scott shut up!” Derek growled, his eyes flashing.

“What’s happening?” Stiles asked, stepping up next to Sam where she was standing on the porch, watching Derek.

“Scott’s trying to convince Derek to let him come here again. He says he wants to talk to me.” Sam explained.

“And?”

“I said everything I had to say to him a long time ago.” Sam said. Then she looked at him and smiled. “Are you doing it?”

Stiles nodded. “I need to talk it out. With him.”

Sam smiled and nodded, reaching into her pocket. She pulled out a medallion with an ear carved on the front surrounded by a ring of runes and held it out to him. “Go to the ridge and activate it. Talk this out. I’d like to see that dopey smile on your face some more.”

Stiles laughed a little, blushing as he took the medallion. “What about you Sam? You still haven’t regained full power. And you were weakening to begin with. What’s happening to you? And don’t tell me nothing because I know this isn’t nothing.”

“Nothing of importance right now.” Sam said. She looked at Derek as he ended the call with Scott, obviously mad. “Derek.” She called, walking out to him, Stiles at his side. “Is everything alright?”

“He’s being an idiot.” Derek snarled.

“He’s blind. Remember?” Sam said, referring to their conversation about the beta wolf.

Derek nodded and glanced at Stiles. “They won’t bother you tomorrow at school.”

“I need to talk to you.” Stiles said, his voice calm and his face emotionless. “It’s about them.”

“Alright. Let’s talk.” Derek didn’t even glance at Sam as he just leaned against the Camaro, his body saying relaxed even while Sam could feel the tension rolling off him.

“Not here.”

“Where?”

“The ridge. Please trust me Derek.”

Derek looked at Sam curious, and she nodded. He looked back at Stiles and nodded. “Get in.” He turned over his shoulder at Peter, who was grinning.

“Go boy. I’ll get home myself.”

Derek flashed him a tense smile and got into the driver’s side. The Camaro sped away and Peter walked over to Sam.

“Is this what I hope it is?”

“I sure hope so.” Sam sighed. “I am really sick of listening to both of them pine over the other. I love them both but I’m done.”

Peter laughed. “I guess we’ll know soon enough.”

Sam smiled. “I hope this turns out good.”

Peter glanced at her and noticed her pale face and the slightly pained expression she managed to hide from everyone else. “Are you alright?”

Sam looked at him and sighed. “Yes. But not really.”

“What’s going on?”

Sam bit her lip for a moment before answering. “I don’t actually know. I only two things, one, Stiles is about to get almost five times stronger.”

“Why?”

“When he first came to the Ranch, he didn’t have control. No one does in his situation. Not even May would have control if what happened to him ever happened to her. So May and I made the decision to put a block in his mind. Like a dam. To stop his magic from flowing completely and make it easier for him to control. But when I did that spell yesterday, the block broke as soon as I dumped my power. And now all that power that was behind the dam is breaking through and I don’t know if he can control it completely yet. He was supposed to know about it before I took it down so he was ready but he didn’t. And now it’s free and I’m not strong enough to put another up. I probably won’t ever be strong enough again.”

“Why not?” Peter asked, sounding concerned.

“I dumped my power Peter. That’s not something mages come back from quickly. I won’t ever be up to that power again.”

“Your coven mentioned your power was already fading. What’s really wrong?”

Sam looked at him, as if making a decision. She was surprised that he’d noticed that when even Stiles hadn’t. Then she sighed and looked back towards the trees again. “I’m losing my magic Peter. I have been for a while.”

“What’s wrong?”

“Why would anything be wrong?”

“Because I’ve heard of you before. You’re one of the strongest mages in the country and you’re losing it. What’s wrong?”

Sam shook her head. “I can’t Peter. I’m sorry.”

“Then tell me what the other thing you know is.” Peter said calmly. He accepted that she couldn’t tell him. Some things are meant for only her pack to know and as much as they get along and trust each other, he’s not her pack.

“Something’s coming.” She answered quietly. She looked at him, her face expressionless. “We created a Nemeton. That sends up a beacon like a flare. Like a challenge. And I can feel something coming to accept that challenge. And I don’t know if we are going to be strong enough to face it when it gets here.”

*

Stiles guided Derek to the ridge and then, once Derek was parked, he pulled out the medallion Sam had given him.

“What’s that?”

Stiles just flashed his eyes white and put the medallion on the dashboard. “Something to let us talk without being heard.”

Derek looked at him, wondering what the hell was going on. “Stiles why did you want to talk all the way out here?”

Stiles shifted nervously, wringing his fingers together.

“Stiles.” Derek prodded.

“During the battle, did you feel me in your head?”

“Yes.” Derek answered quickly and honestly, shocked a little by the question. He knew all the pairs had and he knew Stiles knew that.

“What about now?”

Derek paused for a moment, eyes widening a fraction. Did Stiles know? Had Stiles figured out that Derek had taken him as his mate and had never stopped feeling him? At first as a hole and now that hole was filled again and Derek couldn’t stand to think that maybe, just maybe, this was Stiles’s way of telling him to stop. To stop being in love with him and to stop holding onto him. Telling him to let go. Derek didn’t want to say yes but he hadn’t been able to outright lie to Stiles in a long time so he nodded slowly.

Stiles let a breath in a loud sigh. “I thought so. I want to apologize for that.”

Derek blinked in surprise. Did Stiles really just say that? “What?” He asked, really confused.

“Mages have a thing that’s pretty much a mate so we tend to call it that but its real name is a Center. The Center of power and love and life and everything that mage cares about. Some mages never find their Center and some, just a few, like Sam, find it at an early age. I thought I was in the majority, never finding my Center, but all day I’ve been thinking about what it would’ve felt like to be James yesterday. To have your Center and love them completely and be happy with them as they love you back and then have that all torn away from you in one, terrifyingly painful moment. And then you can’t help but blame yourself because you were supposed to protect them. You were supposed to save them. And you didn’t. And even though it was their choice that caused them to be torn away you can’t help but wonder if it was because of you. That maybe they made that choice because of something you did or said or didn’t do and didn’t say and those thoughts tear you apart. And then I realized something. I’d felt that before. That loyalty. That caring. That utter trust.” Stiles finally looked at him, eyes shining with unshed tears. “I felt that with you, Derek.” He didn’t look at him long, turning away after that declaration, unable to watch how Derek took this. “In the high school pool when I held you up for two hours when you couldn’t move because I knew I wasn’t going to let you drown. And when the Alphas came and Ennis and you fell over the edge in that shopping mall and we all thought you were dead, I blamed myself. I wasn’t even there and I blamed myself for that. Because maybe, just maybe, if I’d been there you wouldn’t have gotten hurt. I know that’s wrong and that all that would’ve happened would be _my_ death but I couldn’t help thinking it. Even now I can’t help it. When we found out about Ms. Blake being the Darach was the first night I cried since my mom died. I didn’t know why I was crying and that terrified me. But I know now. I was crying because she had something I needed and could never have. I don’t know when it started Derek but I promise you that I will try and control it. I will stay out of your head. I won’t come near you unless necessary. Sam will be the one to talk with you on matters between your pack and our coven. You will not see me more than necessity demands. I’m sorry Derek. For all of this.”

Derek’s mouth was parted in surprise and his eyes wide. He couldn’t think. Was Stiles saying what he hoped he was saying? Was Stiles saying that he was Stiles’s Center? That he was Stiles’s _mate_? His breathing was quickening as his thoughts ran wild.

Stiles noticed Derek’s breath quickening and looked over at him. He immediately recognized the onset of a panic attack and jumped to act. “Derek.” He called, his voice filled with worry. “Derek can you hear me? You need to concentrate on me, okay? I know you probably don’t want to right now because of what I just said and all but I’m the only person here. You need to concentrate on me and calm down. You’ll be pissed with yourself if you shift in this car and I am not dealing with that. Calm down.”

Derek squeezed his eyes shut, trying to control his wolf. He couldn’t shift. Not because of his car but because of Stiles. If he did he shifted now he’d risk hurting Stiles and he couldn’t do that. Not only would he never forgive himself for hurting his mate but Sam would kill him and he didn’t want to die. Not now. Not after what Stiles said. He concentrated on the sounds of Stiles. His heartbeat, frantic with its own panic, pounding away in his chest. A sound Derek would never get tired of hearing. He heard Stiles’s breathing, that he was forcing to be calm so he didn’t increase Derek’s panic. A sound Derek never wanted to hear stop. Derek tampered down his wolf and opened his eyes to look at Stiles.

“Are you saying what I think you’re saying?” Derek ground out.

Stiles gulped loudly, starting to worry, but nodded. “You’re my Center Derek. I knew I had to tell you because while I know you don’t care I needed you to understand why I can’t go back to the pack with you. The coven is my pack now and I can’t leave them behind. And it would be too awkward to go back to the pack. I left for a reason and I still don’t believe that I can face them without hearing them. But I can’t leave you Derek. I can’t leave my Center. It’s impossible. And it’s not like I truly want to leave you either. I never wanted to leave you. Or Peter. But I had to get out.”

Derek nodded, understanding and knowing how he felt, trying to find his voice and the words to say.

“I know you don’t have any feelings for me, you’ve made that much clear, but I couldn’t not tell you about this. I needed you to know.”

Derek finally found his voice and croaked out one short sentence. “I do care.”

Stiles stopped fidgeting and froze, looking at him. “What?”

Derek took a deep, shaky breath and looked Stiles in the eye. “I do care. I do care. I do care.” He repeated, his voice sounding stronger each time. “I’ve always cared Stiles. I can’t lose you. You described what a Center is for a mage and you’re right, that’s almost exactly what a mate is to a wolf. But a mate is not something one is forced to have. Some wolves don’t want one so while they may meet the person who could be their mate, they don’t take them. They don’t claim them. But that is rare. Because most wolves don’t realize that someone has the potential to be their mate until it’s too late. Until their human side is already in love with the person. And when they finally figure it out, it’s an amazing feeling. Having a bond like that is something every wolf wants and not all get. I found mine in a snowy forest clearing in December while he was shivering and bleeding onto the snow, staining it red, because he chose to save my uncle without thinking of the consequences. When his best friend asked him if he was okay he just laughed and said ‘Yea I’ll be fine. I may not be a wolf but I do still heal.’ And that’s when I felt it. The connection. I never told him because I was scared. I was scared that maybe he wouldn’t feel anything back and ask me to break the bond. That’s possible you know. A wolf’s mate can reject them and break the bond. But it often breaks the wolf. And I was terrified of him telling me to break the bond. To leave him alone. I had just found something new and amazing and _perfect_ and I couldn’t face the thought that I might have to give it up. So I promised myself that I’d tell him on his eighteenth birthday, hoping that maybe, by then, he’d care enough about me to give me a chance. To give me one last chance at having something wonderful. I was going to make his eighteenth birthday amazing and instead it was one of the worst days of his life because his best friend forgot to tell me and my pack that it was his birthday. And I was furious. The one my wolf had chosen as its mate, the one I’d bonded with, left my pack because of his best friend. I almost killed the boy, but my uncle stopped me. He knew that if I did kill him, my mate would never forgive me. But I couldn’t forgive myself. My mate was _gone_ because of something I could’ve prevented. On a day I had planned on making perfect, he thought about killing himself. And that thought, that my mate was hurting so much to think of _that_ , hurt more than anything. And when he left for three months, going off to somewhere I couldn’t find because no one would tell me where he went, I almost broke. The only reason I didn’t was because I had a pack to look after. A pack that was broken and in pain because no one had realized just how central a human could be to a wolf pack. My uncle helped a lot, taking over on days when I was too sad and in too much pain to do anything, but it got better. The pack grew tighter but there were always two holes in our system. One where my mate had been and one where our huntress had been. We began to know and trust each other more than we ever could before but the price was our packmates. People we drove away. And when they came back, this time with a new pack, we knew it was over. I saw my mate laughing and bumping shoulders with another pack and I gave up. I thought I would never get him back. But then giants came and for some reason he let us back in. He tried to forgive us. And although he was still hurting, he gave us a second chance. And when he left us again, unable to stay, he didn’t leave completely. He allowed me and my uncle to still be there. To still see our lost packmates. And so we fought by his side. His and our huntress’s side. We stood by them in battle and I kept him safe. I protected his back. And when I watched a man cry and scream because his mate, his Center, was dead, I knew I never wanted to lose him again. But I knew I would.” Derek stopped and licked his lips, breathing deeply before continuing. “I knew that I didn’t have a chance because my pack hurts him. But maybe, just maybe, every once in a while, there’s a miracle. And he felt the same in return.” Derek looked at Stiles again. “I’m sorry I was a coward.”

Stiles was in shock. His jaw was dropping open and his eyes were wide and his heart was beating fast as he took in everything Derek had just said. Derek didn’t hate him. Derek had taken him as his mate. Even after all the pain and suffering Stiles had caused him, he _still cared_. Stiles’s mind was racing and Derek waited, nervously watching him.

“I’m your mate.” Stiles eventually whispered. “I’m your _mate_.”

“And according to you, I’m your Center.” Derek answered, just as quietly nervous. Neither of them knew what to do next.

They sat in silence for a long moment before Stiles spoke up again.

“Can I kiss you?” His voice was soft and nervous and broke on the word ‘kiss’ but it was still the most beautiful sentence Derek had ever heard. Derek nodded and both of them leaned forward. The kissed softly, both of them in shock that they could actually have this. That the one person they could love more than anyone actually loved them back. They didn’t kiss long before they pulled away to rest their foreheads together.

“I love you.” Derek whispered.

Stiles’s heart loudly skipped a beat at the words but he smiled. “I love you too.”

“What do we do now?” Derek asked, having no idea what to do.

“I don’t know.” Stiles answered. “I didn’t bother finding out because I thought I couldn’t have this.”

Derek smiled. “You can have anything.”

“Can I have another kiss?” Stiles asked, hopeful.

Derek chuckled and turned his head, leaning in to give Stiles another kiss. This kiss was shorter and then he returned to pressing his forehead to Stiles’s. “We need to talk about what to do.”

“The pack.” Stiles whispered.

Derek nodded and pulled away to look at Stiles. “I can’t leave them.”

Stiles nodded. “I know. I wouldn’t expect you to.”

“But I also can’t force you to see them when I know how much it hurts you to be around them.”

“Sam told you then.”

“A while ago.”

Stiles nodded. “Okay. Well I’m not willing to join the pack again, that much I’m sure of. But I can’t make you choose and I don’t want to either. They’re your pack. Your family. You can’t lose another family.”

“It’s up to you Stiles. I’ll follow you anywhere.”

“I’m willing to try again.” Stiles said quietly after a moment’s silence. “For you. I’ll go to see them and I’ll try to forgive them.”

“You don’t need to do anything for me Stiles if it’s not something you _want_ to do.”

Stiles nodded. “I know. I want to. I miss them. I’ve felt what it’s like to lose a pack member and I can’t imagine what that felt like to them knowing that it was their fault. I think I’ve caused enough pain for a lifetime.”

Derek took another deep and shaky breath, nodding. “We’ll have to talk to Sam about what to do. And I technically need her permission to date you.”

Stiles sighed. “She’ll give it. I know she will.”

Derek chuckled. “Yea but I still need it. I’m going to do this right Stiles. I screwed up once already, now I want to do it right.”

Stiles smiled, nodding. “Alright Derek. I think I’m ready for a little change.”

Derek grinned. “Me too.”

Stiles pulled away and took his hand back from Derek and smiled as Derek watched him, curious.

“You saw the pendants that Sam and Joseph wear, right?”

Derek nodded. “Why?”

Stiles pulled one out of his pocket and held it in his hands. “This is Sam’s pendant. Joseph also has one.”

“What are they? What’s the rune? What do they mean?”

“This rune isn’t a rune. It’s a Chinese character meaning Promise. Sam and Joe use it as a mark of their bond. They can’t mate the way two wolves normally do and neither can we. Not until I’m a master and a bunch of other things. But when Sam anchored herself to Joseph and let her magic go, she created the stone that Joseph wears. And then she made another for herself. Whenever one of them gets upset, or angry, or depressed, the other’s stone will heat up and let them know that their mate needs them. They use it as a reminder to each other that they promised to always be there. They spent a week in the forest together after they realized they were mates. A week Derek. That’s four days longer than anyone else. But that’s how deep their affection goes. Joseph had to watch his mate, the one he loves more than anything else, the person who promised to always be there for him, as she lifted a blade aimed for her chest with the intent to end her life to save us all. And I felt that pain, through him. I felt James’s pain when the blade hit Rachel instead. I felt the burning agony of losing and almost losing your mate from two people I care about. James is never going to be the same. He lost his mate, his Center, his _anchor_ and that’s not something that he’s just going to bounce back from. He held it together in the clearing because he knew he had to do what he did. He had to be the one to honor Rachel. But last night he cried and cried and cried and I know you heard it. You and I sat at that island in the kitchen all night long, listening. I could hear it and that means you could _definitely_ hear it. The pure and absolute pain in his cries. He didn’t come out of his room today. Sam went and sat outside his door this morning and they cried together. They both blame themselves for Rachel and neither one of them will ever be the same because of that. Just like you’ve blamed yourself for your family, something out of your control, they blame themselves for something out of their control. Joe used his stone to remind Sam that he needs her. She went out to the Nemeton while we were sleeping and took that blade with her. She was going to end her life this afternoon, because she felt she deserved it. I went out to that clearing and I stopped her by showing her Joseph’s pendant and reminding her of the promise she made to him their first week at the Ranch. And now I’m showing you Sam’s. Because I want you to promise me Derek. Make me the same promise they made each other. When I need you, don’t leave.”

Derek nodded, tears in his eyes. “I promise.” He choked.

Stiles sighed in relief and wiped the tears of his own face. “If I make something, will you wear it?”

“Always.” Derek promised.

Stiles smiled. “Come on.” He reached for the door handle and climbed out. “Come on. Follow me.”

Derek got out without hesitation and followed Stiles to the cliff. Stiles slid Sam’s necklace back into his pocket so he wouldn’t lose it and looked at Derek. “Pick two stones of approximately the same size.” He ordered.

Derek nodded and scanned the ground before spotting two and bending quick to grab them. He held them out to Stiles, brow furrowed in confusion. “What are you going to do?”

Stiles took them with a smile. “Watch.” Stiles cupped the stones in his hands and his eyes glowed with magic. He wasn’t using any particular element so they glowed their gorgeous brown as he lifted his cupped hands to his mouth and blew across the stones. Then he held them out to Derek. “Blow.” He whispered, eyes still glowing.

Derek leaned in and gently blew into the cup of Stiles’s hands, making Stiles shiver a little, but his hands were steady as he drew them back to his face. “ _Geallaim_.” There was a small flash of light and the glow faded from Stiles’s eyes. He pulled his hands from his face and smiled at Derek. “Ready to see?”

Derek nodded eagerly and looked at Stiles’s hands as he slowly opened them up. In his palms now sat two perfectly round, flat stones that were pitch black. There was a hole on one edge for it to be put on a necklace and in the very center sat a bright red rune. It looked like a mix between Stiles’s symbol, the Celtic Trinity knot, and Derek’s symbol, the triskele.

“They’re gorgeous.” Derek whispered as he reached out to take one. He ran his fingers over the smooth sides and looked at Stiles, eyes shining with happiness. “Mate.” Derek whispered.

Stiles laughed, but looked back at Derek with the same amount of love, affection, and adoration Derek was giving him. “Center.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Geallaim - Promise  
> This is the rune on Stiles and Derek's stones: http://media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/236x/59/67/44/5967449c6fa6240c6b4c0653a04b4f4f.jpg


	25. Road To Recovery

“So he’s coming here?” Scott asked, hoping for the first time in a long while that things might be looking up.

Derek nodded, looking at his pack gathered in his living room. “He and the coven are coming over this afternoon. But there are going to be rules.”

“Anything.” Isaac promised. The others all nodded in agreement.

“Jackson you do not insult him.” Derek said, leveling a glare at his beta. “You do not tease him. You be a polite ass motherfucker and we might get through this. Got it?”

Jackson nodded quickly. Derek and Sam had told them the reasons Stiles had fled again the day before at Stiles’s request. They say each of the pack down separately and told them everything they needed to know about what was happening. This will be the first time Stiles sees them outside of school and they’re all excited and willing to do anything to keep things good between them.

“Second, Scott do not try to make things feel the same.” Derek turned his gaze to Scott. “Things will not be the same. They might never be the same.”

Scott nodded, biting the inside of his cheek. Scott’s conversation had been the longest. He had refused to leave everything be. He still thought he was Stiles’s best friend and that everything he did would be forgiven because of that. But the told him that wasn’t so. They’d told him how blind he was and that Stiles was not the helpless human anymore. He hadn’t been helpless in a long time. Stiles didn’t need Scott anymore. He had other friends and another family. He didn’t need Scott anymore, but he wanted him. He wanted to forgive him because Scott was still his oldest friend. He wasn’t his best friend anymore but he was still the boy who held him tight when he cried about his mom and for years afterwards when he couldn’t sleep by himself and so he snuck into Scott’s bed just to feel that maybe he wasn’t alone. Stiles didn’t need Scott at his side anymore, but he still wanted him there. If only he could forgive him.

“I understand.” Scott whispered.

“Good.” Derek looked at Isaac. “Just be nice to him Isaac. You’ve followed these guys down before, don’t do it again.”

Isaac nodded, thinking of way back when he never said anything to stop the pain the pack was causing Stiles. Remembering that maybe he could’ve stopped this whole thing in the first place.

Derek looked at Erica and Boyd. “You two could actually reach out to him. You never really treated him like pack because you never trusted him. Well trust him now. Let him in so he lets you in. You want him back? Be nice.”

They both nodded quickly. Neither of them had known how much Stiles meant to them until he was gone and they regretted not letting him like the others so easily had. They wanted him back just as much as the others.

And then Derek finally looked at Lydia. “You were an idiot Lydia.” He said. “You brag about your brains quite often but you never saw the pain in his eyes while Jackson insulted him. He said you never insulted him but your laughter hurt him more than any words of yours could. He was in love with you at one point before you two actually became some sort of friends and then you laughed as your boyfriend insulted him. Just like you used to. Just like nothing had ever changed. Like he wasn’t pack. So be nice to him. Don’t ignore him like you used to. He doesn’t need anymore reminders of his past.”

Lydia nodded, her face blank. She was putting up walls around her emotions, preparing for today. She knew she hurt him by laughing and she knew he might never forgive her but she just wanted to do her best to get him back. For the others. For her pack.

“And for all of you, don’t allude to the pain caused by losing a pack member.” Derek said, looking at them all. “He knows how it feels. He lost Rachel and felt the pain of losing someone. He felt James, Rachel’s mate’s, pain when she died and left him behind. He knows how you all felt. That’s why he’s decided to give you one more try.”

“We can do this.” Scott whispered, sure of it.

The others nodded.

“When will he be here?” Isaac asked.

Derek smirked. “Any second now.”

All the wolves perked up, listening, and they all gasped a little as they heard a car coming down the drive.

Derek led them outside and they all stopped on the porch while he walked down as the black SUV pulled up and the coven climbed out. Stiles jumped straight into Derek’s arms, grinning happily, and Derek caught him easily. Stiles hugged him for a moment and then let go, grabbing Derek’s hand instead so the wolf could give a one-armed hug to Allison and Sam.

“Welcome to the Pack House.” He said, smiling at them.

“I’m so glad you rebuilt this place.” Stiles smiled, looking at the building. Then he noticed the pack on the porch and gave them a small smile as well. “Hey guys.”

“Hey.” Scott smiled back, the others quiet. “We missed you.”

Stiles gave a short laugh, barely more than a sharp inhale through his nose. “I missed you too. But I wouldn’t have had to if you hadn’t pushed me away in the first place.”

“We know.” Isaac answered. “And we know we made a mistake.”

Stiles looked at Jackson.

“I’m sorry.” Jackson whispered. “I never meant to hurt you. I just didn’t know how to deal with caring about you. So I fell back into old habits.”

Stiles nodded. “I’ll try my best to forgive you Jackson. But you were one of the main reasons I left and that isn’t something that’s easy to come back from.”

Jackson nodded. “I know. I accept that.”

“Good.” Stiles nodded once, strong and sure. Then he looked at Derek and then Sam. “So now what?”

Sam shrugged silently.

“Whatever you want.” Derek answered.

Stiles bit his bottom lip, thinking, and looked back up at the pack. Then he opened his arms, still holding Derek with one hand, and smiled at them. “Come here Scott.”

Scott bounded forward, jumping into his friend’s arms. Scott was shaking and crying and Stiles just closed his arms around him, letting go of Derek’s hand to hold onto Scott. He held his oldest friend tightly as Scott sobbed apologies into his shoulder. Stiles didn’t say anything, just rubbed his hand up and down Scott’s back, calming him, as he waited for Scott to regain control of himself. When he finally did Scott pulled away and Stiles automatically reached for Derek again. Everyone was still feeling the effects of losing Rachel and none of them liked being away from their mates for long. It made them nervous.

Stiles looked up at the rest of the pack. “Get down here.” He said softly.

They all cautiously walked over and gathered around him, giving him one group hug with him and Derek at the center so they didn’t have to let of each other.

“Welcome back.” Isaac whispered.

“Thank you.” Stiles whispered back.

Off to the side Sam held a hand out towards Chandra. The other mage sighed and slapped a twenty into her teacher’s hand.

“I hate you.” Chandra muttered.

“Never bet against the teacher Chandra.” Seth advised, smirking. “You’ll never win.”

“Allison get your pretty little ass over here!” Stiles called out.

Seth growled a little and the pack visibly tensed but Stiles laughed. “You can come to Seth. I just want my fellow runaway to get some hug time in as well.”

The pack let go of Stiles, stepping back to give him space as Allison walked over, Seth hanging onto her hand.

“Hey guys.” She said, her voice only barely betraying her feelings of happiness to see them again.

“Hey.” Scott answered. His eyes flickered to Seth and then back at her. “Congrats.”

Allison smiled and glanced at Seth. “He’s my everything.”

“Alright enough of that.” Sam said, sighing and stepping forward. “We’ve all met before and there’s no point in dancing around each other. Just let the past be in the past and try to heal in the present for the future to be okay.”

Stiles smiled. “Stop being so deep Sam. It’s _annoying_.”

Sam smiled and rolled her eyes. “Says the boy who _still_ won’t stop talking to me about the guy he likes even though he could easily be _with_ that guy now that they’ve both pulled their heads out of the asses.”

Stiles stuck his tongue out at her and Sam just rolled her eyes.

“Child.” She muttered.

“Bitch.” Stiles responded.

“Jerk.” She shot back.

“Assbat.” Stiles retorted.

“Stop it.” Derek said, glancing at his pack, who looked uncomfortable.

They both did and the coven gathered around, facing the pack.

“We lost someone very dear to us two weeks ago and we won’t ever get her back.” Stiles whispered. “But the pain I felt made me think about what I did to all of you and I couldn’t handle knowing that someone felt that pain because of me. Even if it was pretty much your fault in the first place. So this is your last chance guys. I’m not giving you another after this. Okay?”

They all nodded.

Stiles nodded back. “Alright. Let’s see where this goes. Don’t expect things to be perfect. You guys still hurt me and I don’t know if the scars from that will ever go away but you’re Derek’s pack and I need to give you another chance. There will be some days I don’t want you near me and other days where things might feel like they were. But things won’t be like they were. I’m part of the coven, not the pack. I’m with Derek and that means I can feel his pack and I don’t know or care if you can feel me to. I don’t want you reading me. If you can feel me then I want you to ignore me. I can’t be a part of this pack. Not right now. Maybe someday, when things are better and the scars don’t ache as much as they do now. Maybe then I’ll forgive you enough to let the bonds form but until then I don’t want to be connected to you. Got it?”

They all nodded again.

“Good. Those are my rules. Don’t break them and maybe we can figure this out. Change and recovery, right?”

Scott smiled at the memories those words brought him and Derek smiled, knowing things might be okay. Sam smiled because she couldn’t feel quite as much pain seeping through Stiles as he started to let his friends back in. Joe smiled because Sam was smiling and he was happy to see his mate happy. Chandra and Zach were smiling because Chandra loved to see her teacher happy and Zach loved to see Chandra happy. Seth was smiling because Allison was smiling. And Allison was smiling because she was watching the two parts of her life, her past and her future, finally beginning to agree.

The pack were all smiling because Stiles was giving them a chance. One last chance to make it right. To fix their mistake and heal the pain they’d caused. And because they had his promise that maybe, someday, things could be alright again. They knew things wouldn’t be the same now as they were then and they didn’t want that to happen. They didn’t want to fall back into old habits of not giving Stiles the respect he deserves. They wanted things to change. They wanted to have Stiles and for Stiles to have them. But they knew that wouldn’t happen quickly. But it would. Someday. And that was enough for now.

Derek looked at Sam across the group and their eyes locked. They both knew something was coming, something big. Having two Nemetons in such a close area was not going to end well for them, but they didn’t need to tell the others yet. They were just starting to heal. There’s no point in worrying them yet.

Sam smiled and reached up to touch the pendant hanging in the hollow of her throat as Joe stepped up next to her and slid an arm around her waist.

Derek smiled, knowing the signal. She was reminding Derek to keep his promise. Not to push Stiles if he couldn’t handle being near the pack. Derek nodded back and reached up to touch his own stone, hanging around his neck. As soon as he’d gotten home after Stiles made them he found leather and tied it around his neck. The necklace was enchanted by Stiles to stretch so Derek didn’t have to take it off to shift, which Derek was grateful for. The pack had teased him for wearing jewelry when they saw it but when they heard what it was, they stopped. It’s the mark of a promise between two men who’ve had pretty horrible luck in the past. And now they have the wish, the hope, and the will to make it better. If they can just stay safe for a little while longer. Because Derek knew. He knew something was on its way. He knew something would come for them, following the pull of the Nemeton, but he didn’t know what.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Well guys. This is it. This story is officially finished. I hope you all enjoyed it and I'd love to hear what you thought. I am so happy I decided to write this fic. It's made it a lot easier for me to figure things out in my own life and for those of you that emailed me asking yes things are working out and my life isn't as bad so thats good. As some of you have guessed from this being in a series, there will most likely be a sequel but I have a lot going on right now so expect the sequel to appear in probably late June/July depending on how things play out. Have an amazing night/day/life and I'll hopefully see you later:)


	26. SEQUEL!!!!!!!

I'm pretty sure you all know what this is judging by the title of this chapter and the multiple exclamation points.

In case you don't I'm here to tell you that the sequel to this story has now begun right over [here](http://archiveofourown.org/works/1900041) if any of you want to go read it.

Enjoy it guys and I would love to hear just as much from all of you if not more than I did on this one. Go check it out!


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